Legendary fashion designer dies at 91; Victoria Beckham, Russell Crowe mourn 'World lost a giant'

Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani died on September 4, his brand house confirmed. He was planning a big event for Milan Fashion Week this month to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his iconic Giorgio Armani design brand.

Italian designer Giorgio Armani, who built a multibillion-dollar fashion empire on the idea of subtle elegance, has passed away on September 4, according to his fashion firm. He was 91. The designer house confimed that Armani passed away at home. In order to recover from an unexplained illness, Armani, one of the most well-known brands and faces in the world of fashion, missed Milan Fashion Week for the first time in June 2025 at the Spring-Summer 2026 menswear previews.

Armani was planning big event for Milan Fashion Week

He was planning a big event for Milan Fashion Week this month to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his iconic Giorgio Armani design brand.

Giorgio Armani net worth

According to Forbes, Armani was one of the best 200 billionaires in the world at the time of his death. His empire, which was valued at over $10 billion US ($13.8 billion Cdn), comprised accessories, home furnishings, cosmetics, fragrances, books, flowers, and even chocolates in addition to clothes.

Armani assets

In addition, the designer owned his own basketball team, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan, also known as Olympia Milano, as well as a number of nightclubs, clubs, and restaurants. Since 1998, Armani has developed around 20 restaurants from Milan to Tokyo. The company has also opened two hotels, one in Milan in 2010 and one in Dubai in 2009.

Celebs mourn Armani’s demise

Celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Russell Crowe, and Donatella Versace expressed their respects when Giorgio Armani’s firm announced the founder’s death. Victoria, the Spice mami alum, who started her own fashion brand in 2008, considered Giorgio’s influence on the business.

“The fashion world has lost a true legend in Giorgio Armani—a visionary designer whose legacy will live on forever,” Victoria wrote on her Instagram Stories Sept. 4. “I feel honored to have called him a friend.”

Despite Armani’s long-running commercial rivalry with the Versace family, Donatella expressed her sympathies on Instagram, writing, “The world lost a giant today. He created history and will be remembered forever.”

Actress Julia Roberts’ famous Armani ensembles

Some of Julia Roberts’ most famous Armani ensembles include her 1990 Golden Globes huge gray suit, which Ayo Edebiri even mentioned at the 2025 award event. “This was one of my all-time favorite outfits,” Julia told Vogue in January 2024. “I could not have known that it was going to become this statement outfit. I just thought I looked fabulous, and I still have that suit.”

What did Russell Crowe say about Armani?

Russell, meanwhile, talked about his first experience wearing an Armani suit during the Cannes Film Festival’s 1997 LA Confidential opening. “Producer Arnon Milchan sent me to the Armani store with a credit card to get a suit for the premiere,” he recalled on X. “That began a love affair with Armani suits that continues to this day.”