Billionaire fashion designer Giorgio Armani dead at 91
Giorgio Armani, the famous fashion designer whose name is attached to clothing and perfume labels, has died at his home at the age of 91.
His company released a statement saying: "With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani.
"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."
A funeral chamber will be set up in Milan over the weekend (6 and 7 September) before the 91-year-old is laid to rest in a private ceremony on an undisclosed date.
The 91-year-old had not attended his runway shows in June with the announcement being that he was recovering from an undisclosed illness.
The Italian-born billionaire founded his famous fashion label 50 years ago which resulted in the creation of various clothing lines along with investments in fragrances, music and sport.
He was also one of the driving forces behind fashion on the red carpet where a number of celebrities would trip the light fantastic wearing his designs, before long other fashion brands were getting in on the action.
At the time of his death Forbes put his net worth at around $12.1 billion (£9 billion) after he spent decades building a successful business empire and getting his fashion designs around the shoulders of some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Born in 1934, Armani initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine before he joined the Italian army.
He then worked at a department store in Milan as a window dresser and over subsequent jobs learned more about the fashion industry until he became a menswear designer in the 1960s.
Starting his own brand in 1975, Armani forged a successful career as a fashion designer which propelled him to fame and fortune.
The brand became increasingly famous thanks to its involvement in the 1980 film American Gigolo, as lead actor Richard Gere wore Armani brand clothes and the name was prominently displayed to audiences.
Armani designed the outfits for many films, as well as for awards shows and provided some of Lady Gaga's wardrobe for her Monster Ball Tour and Born This Way Ball Tour.
Various other celebrities have worn Armani outfits which pushed his brand to even greater heights.
Topics: World News, Celebrity, Fashion
Joe Harker