Italian fashion designer Giorgio Amani, credited for inventing red-carpet fashion and became a household name, has died at the age of 91.
Italian fashion legend Giorgio Armani, king of a high-end lifestyle empire, has died at the age of 91 “surrounded by his loved ones”, his company said Thursday.
The best known contemporary designer, Armani opened his fashion house in Milan in 1975, quickly rising to the top of the industry and going on to dress the stars. His funeral will be private, the group said, but well-wishers can pay respects beforehand at a funeral chamber open on Saturday and Sunday in Milan. Armani had cancelled his menswear show in Milan this year due to health reasons. He also missed the Paris Armani Prive show on doctors’ orders. The Italian icon was credited with inventing red-carpet fashion, but also moved into a younger and less expensive range through Emporio Armani, and opened luxury hotels.
His death came just weeks ahead of celebrations marking 50 years of his eponymous label. Italy’s Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli led the tributes, paying homage to “a leading figure in Italian culture, who was able to transform elegance into a universal language”.