Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images
On Thursday, Armani announced that its founder, Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, had died at 91. In the wake of his death, industry colleagues and celebrity devotees have shared condolences and memories of the designer and his timelessly elegant tailoring. Here’s how they’re honoring him.
Fellow designer Donatella Versace posted an Instagram tribute calling Armani “a giant,” adding that he’ll be “remembered forever.”
In a lengthy Instagram post, model Naomi Campbell wrote, “Today we lost a true visionary. A man of few words, but of immense action.” She called him “a perfectionist in the truest sense” and recalled impactful moments he had on her throughout her career.
In a statement to AP, Lauren said, “I have always had the deepest respect and admiration for Giorgio Armani, not only as a designer who never strayed from his vision, but as a man who loved his family and friends, and his homeland in such a special way. Though he was an icon of the world of fashion, he lived with great humility and a love of living that inspired the way he worked and the way he lived. He created a world reflecting all the things he loved with a foreverness that will be his legacy.”
Victoria Beckham reshared an Instagram post announcing the news of Armani’s passing on her Instagram Story, captioning it, “The fashion world has lost a true legend in Giorgio Armani — a visionary designer whose legacy will live on forever. I feel honored to have called him a friend.”
Her husband, David Beckham, shared a photo of himself with Armani to his own Instagram Stories, writing, “A very sad day as we say goodbye to a very special man … Kind , generous , humble & a true gentleman … Giorgio Armani One of a kind.”
Model Cindy Crawford shared an Instagram carousel honoring Armani’s life and designs, captioning it, “Heartbroken to hear about the passing of a legend, @giorgioarmani ♥️🕊️ A true master of his craft.”
Julia Roberts shared a photo taken with Armani, calling him a “true friend” and a “legend” in the caption.
Samuel L. Jackson shared a carousel of photos of Armani to Instagram, writing, “Thank you, Mr. Giorgio Armani, for your countless years of friendship, collaboration and dedication to your visionary craft. May GOD BLESS YOU as you are welcomed into eternal peace. 🙏🏾”
Designer Diane Von Furstenberg shared an Instagram photo of herself with Armani, captioning it, “Good bye and Rest in Peace 🙏❤️ caro Giorgio ! You have touched so many people with your elegance and will continue to inspire for ever ❤️🙏❤️”
Leonardo DiCaprio shared a photo of himself with Armani on his Instagram Stories, writing, “Giorgio Armani was a visionary whose influence reached far beyond design. I first met him many years ago in Milan and I remember being blown away by his creativity and genius. He was a legendary force who inspired generations, and his legacy will continue to shape and uplift the world for years to come.”
Elizabeth Hurley wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of herself walking arm in arm with Armani, that she was “incredibly sad” to hear of his passing. “What a kind, charming, visionary… A true loss,” she added.
Michelle Pfeiffer also shared a carousel of memories, including photos taken with Armani and photos of herself wearing his designs. In the caption, she wrote that she was “heartbroken” to hear of his passing and called him “kind, generous and loyal.”
Diane Kruger shared a portrait of Armani on Instagram, calling him “one of the nicest people and mentors I was lucky enough to meet and work with” in the caption.
On X, Russell Crowe shared a heartfelt remembrance of Armani, writing that after buying an Armani suit for the Cannes Film Festival in 1997, he “began a love affair with Armani suits that continues to this day.” He added in a follow-up tweet, “Mr Armani has made a deep contribution, to fashion, to design, to popular culture. His energy, vision and finesse has made a mark acknowledged around the globe. I adored him. He was so kind. So many significant moments in my life, awards, wedding, Wimbledon … all in Armani.”
In a statement shared with AP, Anna Wintour said, “Giorgio Armani had such a clear force of personality and vision that you knew his work instantly, wherever you found it. He understood power and attitude and elegance as well as anyone ever has in fashion, and he understood women too: how they wanted to dress and what message they wanted to send as they asserted themselves through his rise in the ’70s, ’80s, and beyond. He also never confined himself to one field or one discipline, and understood that fashion can’t exist in a silo. 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—and everywhere he went.”
Designer Valentino Garavani wrote on Instagram that he considered Armani always “a friend, never a rival,” adding that he could “only bow to his immense talent.”
In a statement to People, Morgan Freeman said, “On screen and off, in quiet moments and on the grandest stages, I have had the honor of wearing Armani. Today, we remember a man whose genius touched many lives and whose legacy of grace and timeless style will endure.”
Mira Sorvino spoke to AP about Armani’s passing, saying, “For me, he was like eternal — this brilliant, kind man who was so talented and created this whole kind of sophisticated, understated glamour that really defined the ’90s in a way. And he discovered me at the Venice Film Festival when Mighty Aphrodite premiered there and asked if I could, if he could dress me. And he started dressing me then. I wore his beautiful designs to most of my most important moments in my career and in my personal life … I will really miss him and I think the world will miss him.”
