Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, a stalwart of Milan ready-to-wear who revolutionised fashion with unstructured looks, has died at the age of 91. Armani passed away at home, the fashion house confirmed.
Over the years, several Bollywood celebrities were invited by the ace designer to fashion weeks showcasing his collections, as well as for milestone celebrations. While Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja were invited to Milan Fashion Week in 2018, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was invited to attend the 40th anniversary celebrations of Giorgio Armani's fashion house in Milan on April 29, 2015. The 80-year-old Italian designer was believed to have sent a special invitation to the actress.
Aishwarya was also invited to the opening of an Armani museum in Milan. In the same year, Sonam Kapoor attended the Paris show of Armani's 2015 Spring Collection at the designer's behest.
Aishwarya Rai, a regular at Cannes, has represented L'Oréal there since 2003, and wore a delicately beaded Armani Privé dress as she hosted the amfAR gala at Cannes with her husband Abhishek in 2014.
The Armani Group Confirming The News
The fashion house announced in a post on Instagram that the Italian fashion icon had died.
The post read, “With infinite condolences, the Armani Group announces the passing of its inventor, founder and tireless engine: Giorgio Armani."
“Mr Armani, as he was always called with respect and admiration by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless, he worked until the last days, dedicating himself to the company, to the collections, to the different and always new projects in being and to becoming," the post continued.
Furthermore it read, “Over the years, Giorgio Armani created a vision that expanded from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and precision. He was driven by inexorable curiosity and attention to the present and people. In this journey, he created an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to communicate with everyone. Always attentive to the needs of the community, he committed himself on many fronts, above all to his beloved Milan."
“Giorgio Armani is a company with fifty years of history, grown with emotion and patience. Giorgio Armani has always made independence, thought and action his hallmark. The company is a reflection, today and always, of this spirit. The family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values. The burning room will be ready from Saturday, 6 September, and will be available until Sunday, 7 September, from 9 am to 6 pm, in Milan, at Via Bergognone 59, near the Armani/Teatro. Due to the expressed will of Mr Armani, the funerals will take place privately,” the post concluded.
In A Nutshell
Giorgio Armani was planning a major event to celebrate 50 years of his signature fashion house during Milan Fashion Week this month. There have been many iconic moments in the past when the ace designer invited Bollywood stars to special occasions to celebrate his iconic brand. Aishwarya Rai received a special invitation from him to attend the 40th anniversary celebrations of his fashion house in Milan.