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He dressed celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Costner and Lady Gaga.
Giorgio Armani was seen as a pioneer of suit tailoring for men and women. Source: AAP / Daniel Dal Zennaro / EPA
Armani combined the flair of a designer with the acumen of a businessman, running a company that turned over 2.3 billion euros ($4.1 billion) annually.
He opened more than 20 restaurants, spanning from Milan to Tokyo, since 1998, as well as two hotels: one in Dubai in 2009 and another in Milan in 2010.
From medicine to fashion
He had been unwell for some time and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he had missed one of his catwalk events.
Giorgio Armani went on to work with numerous celebrities, including Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts, and Lady Gaga. Source: AAP / Will Oliver/EPA
Known as “Re Giorgio” — King Giorgio — the designer was known for overseeing every detail of his collection and every aspect of his business, from advertising to fixing models’ hair as they head out onto the runway.
“I design for real people. There is no virtue whatsoever in creating clothes and accessories that are not practical,” he liked to say when asked to identify his clientele.
