Giorgio Armani Changed Tailoring Forever—Fashion Insiders Mourn "The Maestro"

A paragon of Italian fashion, the "maestro" who made power suits a wardrobe essential in the 1980s and introduced custom design to the celebrity red carpet, has left the fashion world mourning. On September 4, the Armani Group confirmed that its founder and creative director, Giorgio Armani, had died at the age of 91.

The company issued a statement saying, "Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones." "Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects."

On social media, industry insiders and stars, including supermodel Linda Evangelista, former creative director Donatella Versace, entrepreneur Martha Stewart, and actresses including Gemma Chan, Reese Witherspoon, and Kerry Washington paid their respects to the designer known as "Il Maestro" and "the King" at the height of his powers.

Mr. Armani, as he was also called, didn't begin his design career until the mid-1970s, at the age of 40, when he decided to start his own label. Less than a decade later, he graced the cover of Time magazine, contributed to several major films' costume departments, and dressed stars like Italian legend Sophia Loren. By the 1990s, "Armani" had become a symbol of both awards season and corporate offices: career women wore Armani suits to feel powerful, while actresses and musicians relied on Armani for their biggest stage moments.

Casual observers today may take it for granted that celebrities show up to their premieres and award shows in bespoke Armani Privé gowns. It was never guaranteed that women like Viola Davis or Angelina Jolie would tackle the awards season circuit in the label. His mastery of tailoring—first perfected in slouchy suiting that migrated from menswear to womenswear—appealingly translated to custom gowns, however.

In a 2013 interview with The Telegraph, Mr. Armani explained that he was "one of the first designers to dress stars on and off screen." Before working with him, "They didn’t always have a particular style, or the dress sense to know what to wear for an occasion. I helped them feel more confident and relaxed."

As news circulated of Mr. Armani's passing, so did retrospectives on his looks for the likes of Beyoncé, Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Taylor Swift.

Stylist Brad Goreski reflected on Armani's dresses for Demi Moore's awards season campaign this past winter. Her first major win for a dramatic role arrived at the 2025 Golden Globes, where she was dressed in an Armani Privé gown channeling her trophy's shine. "We were so lucky to get to wear his gorgeous Privé designs to Cannes and have custom gowns made for her for the Golden Globes and Oscars," Goreski wrote. "Thank you for the amazing memories and the pleasure of working with you."

Samantha McMillen, stylist to Elle Fanning and Dakota Fanning, recalled her early career working in the Armani atelier before her second act. " I could write a book about the incredible experience I had working under Signor Armani and his unparalleled team," she wrote. "Thank you for trusting me to see your vision and help dress nearly every upcoming, established and legendary personality in film, music, sport, the art world and beyond. We forged relationships I hold dear to this day and I wouldn’t be who I am today without your influence and work ethic."

A-listers sent more condolences on their profiles, with throwback photos of their favorite Armani pieces. "What a dream it was to work with Giorgio Armani! A legendary designer who offered the world so much style, elegance & grace," Reese Witherspoon wrote on Instagram. "I will be forever grateful that I got to wear so many of his beautiful gowns."

Kerry Washington recalled that Armani was the first designer to lend her a dress for her first Hollywood event. "He was always generous and kind, and the fact that someone of his stature believed in me meant the world because he was an extraordinary artist and a visionary," she wrote. "He and his family will always hold a special place in my heart, my prayers go out to them."

Giorgio Armani appeared at his last runway show earlier this year. His fingerprints are all over the 2025 Venice Film Festival red carpet, where stars including Cate Blanchett, Gemma Chan, Kaitlyn Dever, and Sadie Sink have worn a mixture of suiting and bespoke gowns from the house. In street style, his influence lives on in the resurgence of 1980s-inspired suiting and hats: a combination that first got its footing on the Armani runways the first time around.

The Armani Group has not yet announced who will succeed its industry-shaping founder. In the meantime, fashion creator @ideservecouture may have summed up the industry's feelings best in his farewell to the designer. "A man that always deserved a standing ovation," he wrote alongside a video capturing one of Mr. Armani's final bows. "Your vision and your outlook on beauty will definitely be missed."