Giorgio Armani

Born in Piacenza in 1934, Armani grew up through World War II in modest circumstances, started medical school in Milan, then left for military service and never looked back. He began in fashion as a window dresser at La Rinascente, moved to designing menswear for Nino Cerruti, and in 1975 partnered with Sergio Galeotti to launch Giorgio Armani S.p.A. The minimalist, deconstructed silhouettes - especially jackets - redefined contemporary masculine and feminine elegance and made him a fixture of red-carpet style. He dressed over 100 films, notably American Gigolo in 1980, and expanded the brand into Emporio Armani, cosmetics, hotels, even music compilations. Galeotti died in 1985; Armani kept building alone. He banned underweight models in 2007, pushed sustainable practices, stayed private. He died 4 September 2025, the most successful Italian designer of his era.