The world of fashion has been left orphaned, and it is because the great Giorgio Armani has passed away at 91 years old, leaving behind much more than a career dedicated to luxury and haute couture. Armani was the one who defined what it meant to be elegant, and he did it with a sober, clean and timeless style that forever changed the way we dress for any event. With his death, the future of that entire empire is left in the hands of his closest niece: Roberta Armani.
The news has shaken the textile industry, beyond the loss of the most influential designer in Italy, but also because it marks the beginning of a new stage! A transition that had been preparing for some time and that now becomes official.
Armani, much more than a designer
We are not talking only about a man who designed clothes, we are talking about the great Giorgio Armani, who revolutionized fashion in the seventies by redefining what a male suit is. He was the one who took shoulder pads, rigid cuts, heavy fabrics out of fashion… and brought in soft lines, light fabrics and a more natural style. He was also one of the first to put the focus strongly on women, giving them presence, security and freedom through clothing.
His style slipped into Hollywood, climbed the most demanding runways and even reached royal palaces! Minimalism, elegance and coherence, that was his equation. His thing was not extravagance nor passing trends. That is why his name is on the same level as Chanel, Dior or Saint Laurent. And by his own merits!
Roberta, the heir
Roberta Armani is 55 years old. Many remember her for having walked when she was young on her uncle’s own runways. Since then, she has always been close to him. She never sought the spotlight, but she was constant. She became Giorgio’s trusted person both inside and outside the family. She was his support, his shadow, now she is his continuity.
What role has she had until now
Roberta did not appear in the headlines, but her work has been key in the international expansion of the brand. She is the one who took Armani to Hollywood, the one who turned the surname into a synonym of elegance on every red carpet. She has been in charge of the brand’s external projection, the relationship with the media, public relations. And she has done it very very well.
And now, what?
Roberta is not alone. There are more people on the management team. But she has already made it clear that she will follow the path marked by her uncle. She does not seek to invent another style, but to maintain the essence: sobriety, elegance, timelessness. Although she has also said that she wants to reinforce the values that define fashion today: equality, diversity and inclusion. It will not be easy. Keeping intact a legacy like Armani’s and at the same time adapting it to the pace and demands of today’s world is a huge task.
What comes next
No one knows for sure what will happen now. But there is something clear: Giorgio Armani wrote a key page in the history of fashion. His niece now has the responsibility to ensure that story does not lose strength. That the brand stays alive on runways, collections and red carpets. That it continues being a reference of Italian luxury.
We will see if Roberta manages to establish herself as the new face of the empire. But what is already certain is that the Armani surname will remain forever linked to elegance. Because that is not inherited only with a position, it is shown with every decision. And all eyes are already on her, good luck, Roberta!