Fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91. He created a global brand and set trends with his unstructured looks.
Armani died at home, “peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones”, his fashion house said in a statement.
“Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections and the many ongoing and future projects,” it said.
Armani originally pursued a career in medicine, but changed tack and headed into fashion. After working for many famous brands he founded his own house in 1975. Alongside his partner Sergio Galeotti he sold their Volkswagen to raise the US $10,000 to start their company, and the time of his death the company was valued at more than $12 billion.
He rose to become one of the most prominent designers of the 1980s. His suits and shirts gained popularity after they were featured in the 1980 Richard Gere film American Gigolo, and he designed the costumes for the 1987 film The Untouchables.
Gakeotti died in 1985, at the time of his passing it was attributed to a heart attack, but later in was confirmed he passed away from complications relating to AIDS.
The designer was name checked in Pet Shop Boys b-side Paninaro which was first released in 1986. The band put a remixed version of the song out as a single almost a decade later. It features Chris Lowe memorably chanting “Armani, ah-ah-Armani.”
Armani found success with both menswear and women’s clothing, and later launched the popular AX Armani Exchange label and soon had stores dotted around the globe.
Armani later designed costumes for Lady Gaga, including for her Born This Way Ball Tour and Monster’s Ball Tour. He also branched out in hotels, home decor and music collections.
In 2015 Armani found himself in a spot of controversy when he said men should not look too homosexual with their fashion choices.
