Born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza in northern Italy, Armani enrolled in medical school, then the army, before his first job in fashion — working as a window dresser at a Milan department store. In the mid-60s, renowned Italian designer Nino Cerruti offered Armani a job as a menswear designer.
By 1973, Armani had opened his own Milan design studio, encouraged by his business and romantic partner Sergio Galeotti. A debut eponymous collection came in 1975, at the age of 41. The designer borrowed from traditional codes of Italian suit design, but in using lighter weight fabrics and looser cuts, his more modern, pragmatic silhouettes redefined power dressing.
Some of his most famous fashion successes today seem to belie his philosophy of timelessness over trendy, and Armani's minimalism and monochromatic tones set him apart from contemporaries.
As women in the workplace began snatching up Armani's broad-shouldered power suits, he cemented his relationship with Hollywood as one of the first to dress the red carpet A-list. Stores soon followed, along with lines for jeans, perfumes, underwear, sunglasses and ready-to-wear line Emporio Armani.
After expanding into haute couture, interior design, hotels and even chocolates, Giorgio Armani SpA posted revenues of 2.15 billion euros in 2019, the year before Covid-19 hit the luxury sector, making it Italy's second-biggest fashion house after Prada by sales, according to Deloitte. In his career, the designer also landed in controversies related to his business and attracted criticism for some insensitive comments.
Models present creations for Giorgio Armani Prive at Paris Haute Couture Week 2025
The designer missed the Paris Armani Prive show in July 2025 on doctors' orders. "In 20 years of Armani Prive, it's the first time I'm not in Paris. My doctors advised more rest, even though I felt ready," he said in a statement to AFP. He added that he had "followed and overseen every aspect of the show remotely", stressing: "I approved and signed off on everything you will see."
His death came just weeks ahead of celebrations marking 50 years of his eponymous label.
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