ROME (Reuters) -Fashion designer Giorgio Armani, synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance and known as “King Giorgio”, died at the age of 91, his company said on Thursday.
Here are some of the tributes to him:
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI
“Giorgio Armani leaves us at the age of 91. With his elegance, sobriety and creativity, he was able to bring lustre to Italian fashion and inspire the entire world. An icon, a tireless worker, a symbol of the best of Italy. Thank you for everything.”
FILM DIRECTOR MARTIN SCORSESE
“Giorgio was more than a clothing designer. He was a real artist, and a great one – people use the term ‘timeless’ quite often, but in his case it happens to be true. There’s nothing hip or tied to the moment in Giorgio’s designs. They’re genuinely elegant, inside and out, and they aren’t meant to be gazed at on a runway. They’re for people to wear, to enhance their own individual sense of natural elegance.”
FASHION DESIGNER VALENTINO GARAVANI
“I mourn someone I have always considered a friend, never a rival. And I can only bow to his immense talent, the changes he brought to fashion, and above all to his unwavering loyalty to one style: his own.”
DESIGNER DONATELLA VERSACE
“The world has lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.”
FRENCH LUXURY GROUP LVMH
“He was the last of the post-war, golden generation of fashion designers who shaped, year after year, the paragons of highest elegance. His legacy will live in the hearts and imaginations of current and future designers for a long time.”
LVMH CHAIRMAN AND CEO BERNARD ARNAULT
“He created a unique style, combining light and shadow, that he developed into a large and successful entrepreneurial journey and extended Italian elegance to a global scale. He was also a true friend and admirer of France.”
KERING CHAIRMAN AND CEO FRANCOIS-HENRI PINAULT
“A visionary and remarkable entrepreneur, he redefined elegance with rigor and independence that marked our era. An undisputed master of Italian couture, his influence extends far beyond fashion and will continue to inspire entire generations.”
PRADA GROUP’S MIUCCIA PRADA AND PATRIZIO BERTELLI
“A Maestro recognised for his elegance and creativity, and an undisputed protagonist of Italian and international fashion. His enduring contribution will remain forever in the history of fashion and in the memory of all who admired him.”
FERRARI AND STELLANTIS CHAIRMAN JOHN ELKANN
“Giorgio Armani was a great entrepreneur, a sensitive and refined man of culture, and above all, a mentor and friend to me. For half a century, his creations have represented the highest expression of Italian taste, a symbol of elegance and timeless beauty.”
FASHION HOUSE FERRAGAMO CHAIRMAN LEONARDO FERRAGAMO
“The undisputed master of fashion and a symbol of pure Italian elegance. He was an exceptional man whose values profoundly marked the history of Italian fashion. They remain alive today and will continue over the course of time as will his long-term vision and entrepreneurial spirit that will be an ongoing inspiration for generations to come.”
ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA CHAIRMAN AND CEO GILDO ZEGNA
“I would like to thank Maestro Giorgio Armani for his enduring inspiration, for his singular vision of beauty, and for bringing the spirit and culture of Made in Italy to the world. His legacy shaped our industry and elevated us all.”
PRADA DESIGNER RAF SIMONS
“A visionary whose creative genius defined elegance and sophistication in fashion. His work has inspired generations of designers around the world, and his enduring legacy will remain a cornerstone of fashion history.”
SUPERMODEL CINDY CRAWFORD
“Heartbroken to hear about the passing of a legend. A true master of his craft.”
ACTOR CATE BLANCHETT
“Rest in peace Mr. Giorgio Armani.”
ACTOR JULIA ROBERTS
“A true friend. A legend.”
ACTOR MICHELLE PFEIFFER
“Kind, generous and loyal. A true pioneer of elegance. A global inspiration. And today, a massive loss for all. Thank you for everything Mr. Armani, it was an honor and privilege to work with you on so many momentous occasions in my life and to witness your craft firsthand.”
MONCLER CEO REMO RUFFINI
“Ever since I was a kid, I looked up to him as a role model, a guide. He was the symbol of what I dreamed of, the point of reference for anyone who loved this world. His consistency, his elegance, his ability to look ahead with clarity and courage marked an era and set a path.”
ITALIAN FASHION GROUP OTB CHAIRMAN RENZO ROSSO
“He is a great icon who will be greatly missed by our world, but thanks to everything he built, he will remain immortal. And this is perhaps the most beautiful thing we can have from him: his immortality.”
FASHION WRITER SUZY MENKES
“Dearest Giorgio Armani – I cannot believe that you have left us. Such a commitment to realty, yet, at the same time, producing dreams. And for both sexes. The life of “Mr Armani” – as he was always known – was symbolic for a certain part of Italy that was more gentle than showy.”
FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF BRITISH VOGUE EDWARD ENNINFUL
“Beyond being an incredible talent who invented a new way for us to dress – from power dressing to soft tailoring to his incomparable red carpet style – Mr Armani taught me the importance of entrepreneurship and community and believing in your own creativity.”
NATIONAL CHAMBER OF ITALIAN FASHION (CNMI) PRESIDENT CARLO CAPASA
“Giorgio Armani shaped contemporary fashion, redefining its boundaries and creating a lifestyle concept recognised and admired worldwide, also establishing Made in Italy as synonymous with excellence.”
DESIGNER DIANE VON FURSTENBERG:
“Goodbye and rest in peace caro Giorgio! You have touched so many people with your elegance and will continue to inspire for ever.”
DESIGNER STEFANO RICCI
“Fashion, and Italy in particular, has lost its incomparable Maestro. He taught the world the style and elegance of subtlety. To his family and to the entire organisation go our deepest condolences.”
ARMANI’S EMPLOYEES AND HIS FAMILY
“Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication. But it is precisely in his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love.”
HARRODS BUYING DIRECTOR, FASHION, SIMON LONGLAND:
“Giorgio Armani was one of the great architects of modern fashion. With the deconstruction of men’s tailoring and the effortless refinement he brought to womenswear, he liberated the way an entire generation dressed, introducing a new elegance that continues to define contemporary style.”
ITALIAN PRESIDENT SERGIO MATTARELLA
“A shy and reserved personality with tireless creativity, over the long years of his career he redefined the standards of elegance and luxury on the international stage. His sophisticated simplicity, his attention to quality and detail have inspired and influenced generations of designers.”
MILAN MAYOR GIUSEPPE SALA
“Milan will miss his creative vision, his active participation, and his support for the life of our city. Monday, the day of his funeral, will be a day of mourning.”
MILAN’S “LA SCALA” OPERA HOUSE SUPERINTENDENT FORTUNATO ORTOMBRINA
“Giorgio Armani was not just a supporter of La Scala, but a friend in whom we found the same dedication to excellence and the same drive for an international dimension. He was a symbol who embodied the best energies of our city.”
“LA FENICE” OPERA HOUSE, VENICE
“Giorgio Armani is not just a name but a universal language of elegance, sobriety, and creative strength. An icon who has redefined fashion and will continue to inspire generations. May the earth be light upon you, maestro.”
JUVENTUS SOCCER CLUB
“Juventus joins in the mourning for the passing of Giorgio Armani, a timeless icon of Italian elegance and style.”
FERRARI F1 DRIVER CHARLES LECLERC
“A great honour to have had the chance to meet and work with such an amazing person. You will be missed Giorgio.”
AC MILAN SOCCER CLUB
“All of AC Milan mourns the passing of Giorgio Armani, a global icon of style and elegance, a symbol of the city of Milan. Our deepest condolences to the family and all his loved ones.”
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, Elisa Anzolin, Mimosa Spencer, editing by Giulia Segreti and Susan Fenton)
