Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani died Thursday after an illness, following months of speculation about his health.
Over his lifetime, Armani built the fashion house that bears his name, which came to embody the essence of modern, elegant Italian style. Blending his unique design talent with sharp business acumen, he created a global company with annual revenues of about €2.3 billion ($2.5 billion).
Armani had been ill for some time and was forced to skip his company's menswear show at Milan Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he missed one of his runway events.
Armani was known for overseeing every detail of his collections and every aspect of his business, from advertising campaigns to the hairstyles of models before they stepped onto the runway. The company said a public memorial hall will be open in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, followed by a private funeral at a later date that has not yet been disclosed.
In a particularly poignant turn of events, Armani died in the very year when his brand was more successful and thriving than ever. Just six weeks ago, the Italian fashion house bearing his name announced a new exhibition marking the designer's 50 years in the industry. This year also marked the 20th anniversary of Armani Privé, his first haute couture collection, celebrated with another exhibition at his permanent museum in Milan.
Armani's unwavering pursuit of an aesthetic ideal made him the wealthiest fashion designer in the world, and the sole owner of what for many years was Italy's most successful fashion house, in an industry dominated by corporate giants.
His understated and refined tailoring was widely recognized for redefining the professional wardrobe for both men and women in the 1980s. His early embrace by Hollywood catapulted him to fame in the US long before red carpet exposure became a mandatory part of the industry.
