, Giorgio Armani, the Italian designer credited with redefining modern tailoring and building a global lifestyle empire, died peacefully in Milan at age 91; a private funeral will follow, with a public wake at Via Bergognone 59 (Armani/Teatro) open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Key Takeaways
- Giorgio Armani died in Milan on Sept. 4, 2025, aged 91; the funeral will be private per his wishes.
- The company announced continuity plans and highlighted Armani’s lifelong hands-on leadership.
- Major events tied to the brand — a 50th anniversary show on Sept. 28 and a Pinacoteca di Brera exhibition due Sept. 24 — were scheduled at the time of his death.
- Armani built a diversified group spanning fashion, fragrance (licensed to L’Oréal), hotels and interiors; 2024 net revenues were €2.3 billion.
- He established the Giorgio Armani Foundation (2016) to support social projects and safeguard governance of the group.
Verified Facts
The Armani company said the designer “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” and noted he remained active on company matters until his final days. Funeral arrangements include a public viewing chamber at Via Bergognone 59 inside Armani/Teatro on the coming Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00; in keeping with Armani’s wishes, the actual funeral will be private.
Armani held multiple leadership roles at his firm — chairman, chief executive officer and creative designer — and had planned major commemorations this month: a 50th‑anniversary fashion show and party on Sept. 28 and an exhibition at Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera opening Sept. 24 that was to display roughly 150 archival looks. A digital archive platform, Armani/Archivio, was launched during the Venice Film Festival the week before his death.
The group reported net revenues of €2.3 billion in 2024. In 2024 the company also increased strategic investment to €332 million, financing building and renovation projects including Milan and Paris headquarters and the Madison Avenue development in New York. Armani’s fragrance and cosmetics arm has been licensed to L’Oréal since 1988, with the partnership extended through 2050.
Health-wise, Armani had stepped back from public appearances this year. He missed the Giorgio and Emporio men’s spring 2026 shows in June while “recovering at home”; Leo Dell’Orco, head of menswear design, took the final bow — the first time Armani did not. The designer also did not attend the Privé haute couture show in Paris in fall 2025.
Context & Impact
Armani’s career reshaped contemporary dressing for men and women, popularizing relaxed, deconstructed tailoring and a subdued palette often labeled “greige.” Over five decades he expanded into perfumes, cosmetics, home design (Armani/Casa), hospitality (Armani Hotels & Resorts) and cultural projects such as Armani/Silos (opened 2015) and the Tadao Ando–designed theater on Via Bergognone.
His hospitality ventures include an Armani Hotel in Dubai (Burj Khalifa, opened 2010) and Milan (opened 2011), with additional projects under development. The brand has an active sports and national-team presence through EA7 Emporio Armani and partnerships with Olympic teams and several football clubs.
In times of crisis, Armani took visible public action: during the COVID-19 pandemic he donated up to €2 million to Italy’s Civil Protection and hospitals, converted production lines to make protective garments and used paid ad space to address healthcare workers directly.
Business and Succession
Armani long resisted external investors and structured the Giorgio Armani Foundation in 2016 to protect the company’s governance and fund social projects. The group statement after his death emphasized continuity, saying family and employees will carry the company forward in line with the values he set out over decades.
“He crafted a vision that expanded from fashion to every aspect of life… driven by relentless curiosity and a deep attention to people,”
Company statement
Unconfirmed
- Detailed succession appointments and operational leadership lineup beyond general assurances of continuity have not been published.
- Specific medical cause of death has not been released publicly; prior statements only referenced a period of illness and recovery at home.
Bottom Line
Giorgio Armani’s passing marks the end of an era for modern fashion and lifestyle branding. His layered legacy — from timeless tailoring to hotels and cultural spaces — leaves a structured business and a foundation intended to preserve independence and stewardship. In the near term, the company has signaled stability while several high-profile events tied to his name proceed under the group’s oversight.