A Tailor-Made Legacy
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“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” stated the enigmatic fashion house.
A man who bewitched us all. Reinventing the female physique at a time when we were tearing down stereotypes and needed the outfit to match. It is fair to say that Armani not only revolutionised fashion, but exuded genius. We often speak of greatness, those individuals forever etched upon the soul of society. What we sometimes forget however, is that there are in fact very few names synonymous. Armani commanded it.
A child shaped by the mark of war, with an uninhibited desire to bring his passion to the forefront, Armani unveiled a vision for industry that played out much like a prophecy. Born in Piacenza, northern Italy in 1934, it is widely known that his earliest memory was hunger. He famously stated, ‘war taught me that not everything is glamorous’. A powerful sentiment in its simplicity, and a rather fitting articulation of his appetite to convey more than aesthetic with his creations. Armani could see through people’s figurative armour, whether that was gender, stereotype, stigma, age, aesthetic or sexuality, and sought to redefine. It is no surprise then that he went on to impact generations with his creations, crafting rhetoric as opposed to a trendy seam or custom made co-ord. He dissected, toyed with and empowered individuals to wear their persona how they chose. Many were and are able to walk through life differently, because of him.
His gift with garment needed no persuasion; it left you enraptured. It was not long after working with fabrics that he climbed the ranks, his work for Nino Cerruti, haute couture savant, that he was asked to rework the company. Aware that there would undoubtedly be problems people were battling in secret below the surface, having seen its impact in his youth, it makes sense that despite seeking to produce for the affluent, he remained grounded.
Markedly, he was a huge ally of women, with the 1980s a time when we were very much fighting for our place. Climbing out of the box we had been put in, it was thanks to Armani that we looked so good doing it. He reinvented the suit, ripping out that polarising intensity of the padded shoulder, to leave behind a tailored but loose free-falling garment that gave you a polished image, without the stuffy constraints that came before. Emboldening the sensuality of the female form, he created an endless sea of fabulous looks. It was not just the women who looked luminary, the men did too. American Gigolo gave us a strikingly handsome Richard Gere in head to toe tailored chic.
Armani with Richard Gere, 1988 Photo: WWD / Getty Images
Broadcast to a global audience, it was an immediate catapult onto the red carpets — an almost instantaneous industry takeover. Some other fashion moments that will never be forgotten include Linda Evangelista for Giorgio Armani, spring 1991 ready-to-wear.
WWD/Getty Images
I do not think that there was anyone who could rival the breathtaking presence of the top model at this very moment. The one and only Grace Jones provided us with not only a look, but an editorial shot that would transcend the decades.
Photographed by Jean-Michel Goude in Giorgio Armani, 1981. Photo: John Kisch Archive / Getty Images.
Giorgio Armani, spring 1992 ready-to-wear Photo: Guy Marineau / Condé Nast Archive
Yasmeen Ghauri and her phenomenal aura and iconic strut did this look more than justice. It seemed that whoever wore Armani was not simply wearing a look, rather expressing an inherent element of themselves. Even items which were not custom made, felt as though they were.
The Legacy Continues
An end of an era causes a search for the leaders of the brand’s next chapter. Armani put great thought into who would continue his life‘s work, it seems the Armani group will be honourably governed via the love and care of his sister Rosanna, his nieces and nephew, and of course, beloved collaborative force Parnell Dell’Orco, in addition to a charitable foundation crafted by Armani himself.
In his exact words, the brand must carry forth an “essential, modern, elegant and unostentatious style with attention to detail and wearability.” There is no doubt that his utterly evocative and transcendent work will continue to unfold enigmatically. His vision, immortal.
From striking embellishment to the revolutionary reworking of the power suit, Giorgio Armani shaped a language of style that defined generations. As news of his passing breaks, we reflect on a legacy that endures.
BY NADÉGE ELYSE MUSTAFA
5 September 2025