Giorgio Armanione of the world’s most celebrated fashion designers, died on September 4, 2025. He was 91. His company confirmed his death in a statement, promising to carry out the late Italian artist’s legacy of “independence, thought and action.”
“With infinite condolences, the Armani group announces the passing of its inventor, founder and tireless engine: Giorgio Armani,” the company wrote in an Instagram statement that was translated from Italian to English. “Mr. Armani, as he was always called with respect and admiration by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless, he has worked until the last days, dedicating himself to the company, to the collections, to the different and always new projects in being and to becoming.”
Nodding to the late creative’s love for Milan, Italy’s fashion capital, the company added that Armani was “driven by an inexorable curiosity, attention for the present and people.”
“In this journey, he created an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to communicate with everyone,” the statement continued. “Always attentive to the needs of the community, he has committed himself on many fronts, above all to his beloved Milan.”
The luxury brand also pointed to its “50 years of history, grown with emotion and patience” and noted that Armani’s “family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values.”
Below, Hollywood Life has rounded up five facts about Giorgio Armani, from his life and career to the legacy he built.
Giorgio Armani Wanted to Study Medicine Before Fashion
In the early 1950s, Armani pursued a medical career, enrolling at the University of Milan’s Department of Medicine. After about three years, he left school and joined the Army.
Giorgio Armani Served in the Italian Army
Long before he became the world’s iconic fashion designer, Armani served in the Italian Army. He worked at the Military Hospital in Verona until his service ended in 1957.
Giorgio Armani Was in a Relationship With the Co-Founder of His Company
Armani was in a relationship with late Italian architect, fashion designer and Armani co-founder Sergio Galeotti. Though Armani kept his personal life private, he confirmed that he and Galeotti were in a long-term romantic partnership. Galeotti died in 1985 from complications of AIDS.
“After Sergio died, it was painful,” Armani told GQ in 2015. “I also had to learn so much about the company, to keep it going. Many people didn’t think I could do it. They didn’t believe in me. It was disappointing to discover — even within my own company — that there were people who thought I would not be able to do it. So there was an exodus. And I had to roll up my sleeves and learn to speak to lawyers, to publicists. … It was Sergio who believed in me.”
From the early oughts of the Armani fashion house, Galeotti encouraged the designer to “see the bigger world.”
“Sergio made me believe in myself,” Armani told the publication, adding, “When I travel, I bring his photograph. There is something that remains. His spirit lingers. For sure. He lives on. I see Sergio everywhere, and I am sure he sees me. And I have hope that whatever I have done, he knows about it.”
Giorgio Armani Wanted to Have Children
During his 2015 interview with GQArmani tearfully revealed that he wanted to start his own family.
“A lot,” he said. “I wish I had many children.”
Giorgio Armani Spoke Out Against Eating Disorders in the Fashion World
In 2006, Armani became one of the first major designers to advocate for healthier standards among models by discussing anorexia nervosa.
“The time has now come for clarity. We all need to work together against anorexia,” Armani said when Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos died after going on an extreme diet. As a result, Madrid Fashion Week banned any models with a body mass index of 18 or less. “I have never liked thin girls, and I have never made them go on the catwalk,” Armani added, per Daily Mail.
