Merely weeks before Milan Fashion Week at the end of the month, Italian fashion has lost one of its most beloved sons: Giorgio Armani.

At 91, Armani reportedly succumbed to complications due to old-age illnesses, but his legacy lives on in his namesake Armani Casa at the heart of Milan.

Italy is a fashion superpower — with “Made in Italy” a globally recognized brand, and the likes of Prada, Gucci, Versace, Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana dominating storefronts. But arguably, Armani is the biggest name of them all – at least in Northern Italy, where his stores, hotel and Armani Silos taking up the largest spaces among brands, in a country with one of the highest real estate prices in the world.

The 4,500-square-meter Armani Silos is “a living, open-to-the-public space that illustrates Giorgio Armani’s professional experience by offering an overview of the designer’s career via some of his most memorable works, revealing a rich heritage of unique know-how: a space in which to design the future while capturing the changing times, lifestyles and cultures,” the museum’s online description says.

“I decided to call it Silos because this building used to store food, which is, of course, essential for life,” Giorgio once said. “For me, just as much as food, clothes are also a part of life.”

Located at Via Bergognone, 40 Milan, Armani Silos was formerly a barn transformed into a permanent exhibition space with four floors showcasing the depth and breadth of Armani’s designs from the ‘80s to present.

The ground level contains temporary exhibits and daywear designs. The first floor contains garments exploring themes of “Exoticism” and “Androgyny.” The second floor displays designs based on color schemes and ethnicities. Finally, the third or top floor present creations themed on “Light” and “Stars.”

Apart from iconic designs, the museum shows clothes worn by celebrities, royalty and other dignitaries, as well as rarely seen bags, shoes and accessories also designed and created by Giorgio — ranging from minimalist and structured workwear, to opulently embroidered and ornate red carpet opuses.

Besides artifacts, every floor also offers surprise features. The ground level contains a bookshop that also serves as a souvenir store from where to buy exclusive merchandise (most are a lot less expensive than Armani products in stores). This floor also has the café with a patio. The top floor houses the digital archive — where the fashion house’s ad campaigns and fashion shows, as well as the designer’s sketches, can be viewed projected in Italian cinema style.

Personally curated by Giorgio himself is the Prive 2005 to 2025 exhibition on view at the museum until 28 December. The exhibit is the first of its kind in Milan, featuring garments from the designer’s haute couture collection.

Apart from the collections, the building itself is an architectural marvel — minimalist but elegant —effectively turning even lights and shadows into works of art. Truly, Giorgio has built for himself the Silos as his Taj Mahal — long before he was gone.