September 15, 2025 | Posted in Blog
Innovation, sophistication, and global domination – Armani is a household name, and the man behind it truly made it all happen.
On the 4th of September, 2025, aged 91, Giorgio Armani passed away. He left behind a truly amazing legacy, so in this blog, we’re taking a look at his career and the incredible impact he had on the world of fashion.
Giorgio was Italian through and through, being born and passing away there. He would grow up in Piacenza during World War II, as the son of a shipping manager, with very humble beginnings.
As many did at the time, he, his parents and his brother and sister lived in poverty. He had even been severely burned as a child when an unexploded artillery shell went off while he played with it. This accident profoundly affected him, as it also tragically killed one of his close childhood friends.
He was working towards becoming a doctor, something he had been keen to do for years, but he lost passion for the field and was drafted into the military in 1955. His medical skills wouldn’t go to waste, as he was actually assigned to the Military Hospital in Verona.
A lover of fashion from the start, he would take a ‘small wardrobe for all occasions’ with him, which shocked many but clearly felt more than appropriate for Giorgio.
Once his service was complete, he would return home and, luckily for us, his true calling was just around the corner.
In 1957, he started work as a window dresser and buyer for the well-known department store La Rinascente, based in the fabulous Milan. He did this for seven years and then moved on to his first fashion design role, training in the atelier of Nino Cerruti. He also did a lot of freelancing during this period, gaining more and more experience.
In 1973, he and architect Sergio Galeotti would partner together, taking a risk and opening a design office – this would lead to the founding of Giorgio Armani, the brand, in 1975. His first collection was a stunning yet instantly classic selection of menswear pieces for Spring and Summer.
The brand would evolve over decades, taking on womenswear, cosmetics, shoes, accessories, and so much more.
His personal relationship with Galeotti was significant to him, to say the least. When Sergio died young in 1985, Armani was devastated. He had always felt empowered and inspired by Galeotti, so he would travel with his photo for the rest of his life.
Notable moments for Georgio with his fashion house include the launch of its womenswear and menswear in the States in 1979, the first physical store opening in 1982, and the incredible milestone of being worn by celebs to the Academy Awards over 500 times.
His vision was always clear and always reflected the excellence he wanted to showcase within every single design. Armani, as a brand, became so big because it was his and he adored what he did.
He was also the first designer to ban models with a BMI (Body Mass Index) under 18 in an attempt to encourage body positivity in 2007, and the first luxury designer to take on the Green Carpet Challenge in 2011, where he created sustainable fashion pieces.
In 2008, he received the Officer of the Legion of Honour for his services to the fashion industry,
One of Giorgio’s proudest achievements was the opportunities he got to design for the film and music industry. The first film he collaborated on was American Gigolo in 1980, where he created the character of Julian Kay’s (Richard Gere) wardrobe. Other films he worked on include Phenomena (1980), The Untouchables (1987), Goodfellas (1990), For The Boys (1991), The Bodyguard (1992), Gattaca (1997), Inglourious Bastards (2009), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
He would also design tour looks for David Bowie’s Sound + Vision Tour (1990) and Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour (2009-2011) and Born This Way Ball Tour (2012-2013).
If we’re talking about his music collabs, we have to acknowledge his professional relationship with Queen Bey herself, Beyoncé. Armani has crafted several red carpet and performance looks for her over the years. Each look was carefully thought out and was beyond aesthetically pleasing, which was, of course, always to be expected with Armani.
Over his career, he was able to embrace a lot of his passions, including sailing, sport, and luxury hotels. He was able to embrace his Armenian heritage, too, debuting his Armenian-inspired collection titled ‘Métissage’ in 2021.
Also in 2021, he was honoured with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, another award to add to his always-growing collection.
Giorgio Armani’s life was his company, and he remained dedicated until the very end, with sources saying he kept working even into his final days.
Giorgio Armani died in his Milan home in 2025, after 50 years in the fashion industry. It’s reported that his health had been deteriorating for some time, but after being a staple of designer luxury and pop culture for so long, it still felt like a shock to many.
Celebs like Salma Hayek, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Victoria Beckham, and Naomi Campbell all paid tribute, plus other fashion heavyweights like Donatella Versace and Prada executive director Patrizio Bertelli also shared their love for Armani.
15,000 attend his public wake, proving just how many people he spoke to and resonated with.
He is survived by his sister, Rosanna – who greatly inspired his love of fashion, becoming his beloved muse – and his nieces and nephew, Silvana, Roberta, and Andrea.
Armani crafted a fashion revolution, and we see his impact on runways, red carpets, and the high street every time we leave the house. His take on haute couture, love of minimalism, and reinvention of the suit for women helped to shape contemporary style, and we can imagine his influence will still be seen within the brand as it moves forward.
His work has been seen in multiple museums already, but we look forward to seeing his pieces being celebrated further as the fashion world continues to grow from his input. He was and remains a legend, and the team at Your Dream Bag send our condolences to his loved ones and fans.
Written by Eve Miller
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