Pioneering fashion designer Giorgio Armani has been remembered as a “true friend”, “an immense talent” and “a visionary” following his death at the age of 91.
Designers, celebrities, politicians and artists were among those paying tribute after the Armani Group announced his death on Thursday.
“The world lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever,” wrote Donatella Versace on Instagram.
Long-serving Vogue editor Anna Wintour reflected on Armani’s wide influence: “For him fashion wasn’t one thing: it was also film, music, sport, art, design, and architecture, and he left his mark in all these worlds.”
Fashion designer Valentino Garavani described Armani as “a friend, never a rival … I can only bow to his immense talent.”
Ralph Lauren called him “a designer who never strayed from his vision … a man who loved his family and friends, and his homeland in such a special way.”
Prada group’s Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli said Armani was “a Maestro recognised for his elegance and creativity, and an undisputed protagonist of Italian and international fashion.”
Julia Roberts, whose steel grey oversized Armani suit teamed with a white shirt and tie became one of the most memorable Golden Globes looks of all time, wrote on social media Armani was “A true friend. A legend,” adding a broken heart emoji.
In a series of posts on X, Russell Crowe recounted how losing his bags on the way to the Cannes film festival in 1997 led to him discovering the designer. “I adored him. He was so kind. So many significant moments in my life, awards, wedding, Wimbledon … all in Armani. What a life he had, from his beginnings to his glory.”
Jessica Chastain shared a memory of meeting her husband at an Armani show in Paris, while Leonardo DiCaprio described Armani as “a visionary whose influence reached far beyond design”.
Cate Blanchett said: “The private man leaves a void that is impossible to fill.”
Victoria Beckham said on Instagram: “The fashion world has lost a true legend in Giorgio Armani – a visionary designer whose legacy will live on forever. I feel honoured to have called him a friend.”
Martin Scorsese, who directed the 1990 documentary Made in Milan offering a behind-the-scenes look at fashion designer, said Armani “was a real artist, and a great one – people use the term ‘timeless’ quite often, but in his case it happens to be true”.
Michelle Pfeiffer said she was “heartbroken” to hear of the designer’s passing.
Formula One driver Charles Leclerc, who starred in an Armani campaign, said it had been “a great honour to have had the chance to meet and work with such an amazing person”.
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, praised Armani as “an icon, a tireless worker, a symbol of the best of Italy.”
Known as the “king of the blazer”, Armani pioneered soft power dressing and revolutionised red-carpet fashion. He dressed stars from Diane Keaton and Jodie Foster to Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, and his designs became synonymous with elegance on the stages of the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Cindy Crawford, Diane Kruger, Morgan Freeman and Samuel L Jackson were among others paying tribute.
