Thousands of mourners visited Milan’s style district on Saturday (September 6, 2025) to pay their respects to Giorgio Armani, Italy’s most well-known designer, who died this week on the age of 91, submitting in silence previous his coffin.
His wood casket, with white roses positioned on high, lay in the huge darkish exhibition house at his firm’s headquarters, the place catwalk exhibits are held, surrounded by dozens of small lanterns on the ground.
The passing of Armani has sparked an outpouring of grief with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and extraordinary individuals alike. Over a profession spanning 5 many years, he constructed a enterprise empire starting from high fashion to house furnishing, along with his identify turning into synonymous with elegant simplicity.
“Everything he did in his life he did it out of passion,” stated Pier Carlo Bertoglio, who travelled from close by Lodi to the Armani workplaces, the place the designer’s physique is mendacity in state over the weekend earlier than a non-public funeral on Monday (September 8, 2025). “Everyone here today should testify to the love they have received from him,”he stated.
John Elkann, the scion of Italy’s distinguished Agnelli household, and his spouse Lavinia, had been among the many first guests. Mr. Elkann, who heads the Agnelli household’s funding car Exor, had beforehand mentioned a possible mixture with Armani to create an Italian luxurious items conglomerate, together with Exor-owned sports activities automotive maker Ferrari. The talks led nowhere.
Armani, who had no youngsters, has put in place measures to guarantee continuity and independence for his enterprise, which he ran with trusted members of the family and long-time colleagues.
Early guests additionally included Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala. Italy’s style capital, the place Armani relocated along with his household after World War Two, will maintain a day of public mourning on Monday (September 8, 2025).
“Milan is full of Armani ‘signs’, it would be impossible to forget him,” Mr. Sala stated. “His biggest legacy to the city I reckon is his profound belief in work as a means of self-realisation.”
People queued silently below the timber that line the cul-de-sac the place the Armani workplaces, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, sit throughout from the Armani/Silos, a museum opened in 2015 to mark 40 years of his profession and the place the Armani Prive high fashion collections of the previous 20 years are at present on show.
Visitors included fellow designer Donatella Versace, who arrived dressed in black carrying a bouquet of white orchids, Oscar-winning movie director Gabriele Salvatores and actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta.
“Where I grew up in China, Armani’s name is equal to Italian (style),” stated Jonah Liu, who stood in the gang sporting an Armani t-shirt and holding a small bunch of white daisies. “He turned Italian elegance into a global fashion grammar … I’m obliged to come here to pay my tribute to him,” he stated.
In line with Armani’s needs, a separate entry was reserved for group employees. “I’m one of his employees, so I’m sincerely attached to him,” stated Alessandra Caccavo, wiping away the tears. “He made sure we never wanted for anything … he was exceptional, so hospitable, … we would always see him in the offices, which means a lot when you think who he was,” she added.
