Remembering Giorgio Armani, who changed the shape of fashion forever

From liberating the suit to building a global empire that merged elegance with ease, Giorgio Armani’s influence endures far beyond the runway.

Sep 05, 2025 | by Santya Ahuja

Giorgio Armani, who passed away at 91, leaves behind a legacy that transcends fashion—he changed the way the world dresses. Often described as the most influential designer since Coco Chanel, Armani was the architect of a new fashion language that blended sophistication with a liberating sense of ease.

Born in Piacenza, northern Italy, in 1934, into a comfortable middle-class family whose life was upended by war, his earliest memories were of hunger, of streets scattered with unexploded artillery shells, and of learning early that not everything in life could be glamorous.

Learning on the shop floor

Armani’s first foray into the world of style came not in a studio or atelier, but on the shop floor of Milan’s La Rinascente, where he worked as a window dresser before rising through the ranks. There, he learned to understand fabrics and the people who wore them—a lesson that would define his work for decades to come. His knowledge of textiles became the foundation for his genius in tailoring, which he honed under Nino Cerruti, founder of the talian couture house Cerruti, before branching out on his own.

Reinventing the suit, Redefining power

When he launched his eponymous brand in 1975, Armani’s approach was nothing short of revolutionary. He redefined the suit, removing its stiffness and reimagining it as a garment of movement. For men, this meant sophistication without rigidity; for women, it was empowerment at a time when they were claiming space in boardrooms across the world. His work shaped the visual identity of the 1980s and beyond, earning him the moniker of the first post-modern designer.

Building a global lifestyle empire

Armani was never content to stay within the confines of clothing. He built an empire that expanded into every aspect of lifestyle—from Emporio Armani in 1986 and A|X Armani Exchange in 1991, to the rarefied world of Armani Privé in 2005. His vision extended to fragrances, homeware, restaurants, hotels, and even cultural landmarks, such as the Armani Teatro and Armani/Silos museum, designed with Japanese architect Tadao Ando. As recently as August 2025, Armani purchased the legendary Capannina di Franceschi club in Forte dei Marmi, a testament to his continued dedication to blending culture and elegance until the very end.

A legacy of discipline and dedication

Armani’s dedication was legendary, his discipline unmatched. The fashion world remembers him not just as a designer, but as a guardian of Milan’s cultural identity, a patron of young talent, and a man who believed in fashion as a reflection of society’s evolution.

To speak of Giorgio Armani’s legacy is to speak of decades that changed the way the world dressed. But sometimes, the most powerful tributes are the simplest ones. Rather than attempt to compress a lifetime of elegance into an endless scroll, we pause on just three looks—each a reminder of the power, the ease, and the modernity that defined his work. They say enough.

Julia Roberts at the 1990 Golden Globe Awards