Ever heard of the “Armani suit?” That was one of the many iconic designs of Giorgio Armani, an Italian designer known for his powerful fashion house by the same name. 

He had been suffering from an unknown, but age-related illness and passed away at the age of 91 on Sept. 4. To lose such a well-known icon in the fashion world a week before New York Fashion Week has taken a toll on many who have known him and worked with him. 

Armani, or Re Giorgio in native Italian, was the co-founder and sole owner of his brand. He had plans of celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary shortly before his death. 

“Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects,” his fashion house disclosed in a statement. 

Armani, born in the small Italian city of Piacenza on July 11, 1934, initially wanted to be a doctor. But after a part-time gig as a window dresser for a Milan store, he swiftly changed his mind. The fashion world caught his attention, and with his partner, Sergio Galeotti, an architect, he sold their Volkswagen to start his menswear collection. 

His womenswear collection came just a year later, dubbing his design the power suit. Its broad shoulder padding and tailored-for-men trousers became the go-to look for women in the business industry. 

With his designs, he put Italy at the forefront of fashion as he transformed business attire with sleek simplicity. Armani’s “ready-to-wear” designs became popular internationally in the 1970s.  From that point on, Hollywood stars and celebrities began wearing his designs at awards shows and red carpets. The fashion house has worked with names like Beyoncé, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. These connections got him wardrobe credits in over 200 films. 

Armani’s fellow fashion house mogul Donatella Versace spoke about his impact. “The world has lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.” 

Armani’s team first suspected something was wrong when he had to miss a spring/summer menswear show in Milan to recover from an illness. It was the first time he ever sat out from a show in his multi-decade career. Armani was said to be a very detailed man, overseeing every detail of his shows down to how the models wore their hair.

His team and family mourn his death, paying tributes to him in the media. Armani’s team set up a funeral chamber open to the public for two days before having a private funeral for a more intimate farewell with his loved ones. 

Armani didn’t just create an influential fashion house, he built a legacy that will live on for decades longer.