The pioneer regarded as the first designer since Coco Chanel to bring a lasting change in the way people dressed has died at the age of 91. As the world grapples with the stalwart’s passing, many recognise his role in breaking away from the dressing traditions of the pre-war era and introducing fluidity in fashion during the latter half of the 20th century.
The press hailed him as the first modern designer, a visionary who became known as a revolutionary in the fashion world.
Early Life
Born in Piacenza, Northern Italy, on 11 July 1934, his middle-class family was devastated by the war. He often recalled that his first memory was of hunger. The ravages of war left a deep impact on him – he once said he played with artillery shells in the street until one exploded, injuring him. The experience, he explained, taught him early that not everything was glamorous.
By the 1960s, Italy’s middle class longed for haute couture-style clothing – something distinctive that could set them apart from military uniforms. With his expertise in fabrics, he offered exactly what they sought.
His finely tailored clothes made possible a menswear range with neat, precise cuts that could be produced at scale. In 1966, Armani met Sergio Galeotti, a young apprentice architect. Galeotti soon abandoned his own career to work alongside Armani. Together, they started small, but their creations sparked a revolution in fashion.
Synnergy With Hollywood
As Armani’s breakthrough gained recognition worldwide, Hollywood amplified his work, giving it the kind of publicity money could not buy.
In 1985, Armani lost his partner and co-founder, Galeotti, to an AIDS-related illness, a devastating blow that nearly pushed him into retirement. Instead, he chose to continue, building his brand into a global fashion empire while maintaining full creative and financial control.
His influence was acknowledged in 2000 when the Guggenheim Museum in New York hosted an exhibition of his work. He later drew global attention by banning underweight models after Ana Carolina Reston’s death from anorexia. Armani also designed the interiors of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Net worth
For 65 years, this vision shaped not only fashion but also his own fortune. Yet Armani once admitted he was “never satisfied,” describing himself as “forever dissatisfied and obsessive in his search for perfection.”
Giorgio Armani’s fashion house, founded with Sergio Galeotti in 1975, grew into a global symbol of minimalist tailoring and refined style, generating €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) annually, according to Reuters. Armani’s personal fortune is estimated at $9.4 billion by Bloomberg and around $12 billion by Forbes, placing him among Italy’s wealthiest individuals and the nation’s third-richest after Giovanni Ferrero and Andrea Pignataro.
Over his storied career, Armani transformed fashion with relaxed silhouettes and neutral palettes, later expanding into perfumes, accessories, hotels, and beauty products, making his brand Italy’s third-largest fashion group after Gucci and Prada.
Also Read: Renowned Italian Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani Passes Away At 91
