Can Armani remain Armani without its founder?

Another fashion legend has departed. On September 4, Giorgio Armani, the tireless perfectionist, passed away at 91, before he could witness the 50th anniversary of the empire he built with his own hands. Born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, in Italy’s Lombardy region, Armani’s childhood unfolded under the shadow of World War II, shaping his earliest observations of the world. As a young man, he trained in medicine, only to turn away from the white coat and follow a different path. In 1957, at 23, he joined Milan’s legendary La Rinascente department store as a window dresser. A seemingly modest role, it became the crucible of his aesthetic awakening. Five years later, his career reached a turning point: in 1961, Armani met the renowned textile manufacturer and designer Nino Cerruti, who invited him to join his company. There, he poured his heart into textiles — exploring fabric, color, and weave — and began to forge the unique aesthetic that would define his future. The unstructured revolution that changed menswear forever In 1975, at 41, Armani, together with his lifelong partner and confidant Sergio Galeotti, founded Giorgio Armani. Beginning with menswear, he introduced revolutionary “unstructured” suits and jackets, discarding the stiffness that had long defined men’s fashion and reshaping the male wardrobe with fluid lines and soft tailoring. Today, Giorgio Armani has long surpassed being just a name; it is a full-spectrum empire spanning haute couture, beauty, fragrance, home, and hospitality. As mourners honored the legendary designer at his funeral on Monday, the question of who will take the reins of his fashion kingdom became the focus of both industry and public attention. In an interview with the Financial Times, Armani made it clear that the empire he had built over a lifetime would be gradually handed to his most trusted circle — Leo Dell’Orco, family members, and long-standing collaborators. He stressed that the process should be organic and orderly, rejecting any abrupt rupture. The statement revealed not only his sober awareness of his own mortality, but also a forward-looking plan for the company, signaling stability and continuity to the market, and cushioning the potential shock of the founder’s departure. Dell’Orco: The heir apparent steps forward At the center of this closely watched succession is Leo Dell’Orco, long regarded as the keeper of Armani’s creative soul. A 47-year veteran of the group, Dell’Orco is discreet, deeply trusted, and in recent months stepped in to close the brand’s three shows in June and July when Armani’s health faltered. The two met in a Milan park, and Dell’Orco rose from working as a model to becoming the architect of the brand’s menswear vision. Today, as creative director of all Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani, and Armani Exchange menswear, and a board member of the Armani Foundation, he stands as the most direct guardian of Armani’s aesthetic legacy. Members of the Armani family will also play a pivotal role in the group’s management, serving as the core custodians of the brand’s lineage and creative spirit. Niece Silvana Armani has long overseen the women’s collections, emerging as one of the inheritors of the brand’s aesthetic, while her sister Roberta Armani manages global public relations and VIP relations, maintaining close ties with top clients and celebrities, and sits on the board. Nephew Andrea Camerana, who joined the group in 2007, is likewise a board member. Alongside them, the group’s senior executives — including Armani Foundation and Italian Executive Committee board member Irving Bellotti, and deputy general manager and chief commercial officer Giuseppe Marsocci — bring deep industry experience and strategic insight, providing operational stability and decision-making support. They are tasked with guiding the empire into a more resilient “post-Armani” era while preserving the independence that defined its founder. Financial storm clouds gather over the empire Yet, Armani’s passing casts a shadow over the future of this independent empire. Unlike Italian icons such as Gucci and Fendi, long absorbed into the folds of Kering and LVMH, the Armani Group has remained under its founder’s absolute control since its inception. Until his final days, Armani held 99.9% of the company, with the remaining 0.1% held by the Giorgio Armani Foundation, which he established in 2016. He was not only the sole shareholder, but also the company’s CEO and creative director, concentrated at the helm of every aspect of the empire. As the unquestioned brain and soul of his empire, Armani defined the brand’s aesthetic and ultimately decided every major strategic move. His death instantly stripped the group of its core creative engine and central command. The challenge of succession is compounded by weak financials: in 2024, the group’s sales fell 6% YoY to $2.71 billion, while operating profit plummeted 69% to just $78.5 million, with a slowdown in Asia — particularly China — bearing much of the burden. Until the end, Armani had maintained a rare strategic discipline, doubling down on flagship renovations and digital transformation while adhering to his philosophy of consistency, continuity, and independence. In his final financial statement, he reaffirmed that the group would stick to long-term operational principles, even amid cyclical downturns. His singular control, however, also raises questions about whether the brand can sustain its course in a post-Armani era. The challenge is not without precedent. After Coco Chanel died in 1971, her house entered more than a decade of creative stagnation, only revived when Karl Lagerfeld took over in 1983. And following Lagerfeld’s death in 2019, even Virginie Viard — his 30-year deputy and designated successor — has faced persistent skepticism. By 2024, facing the dual pressures of slowing growth and aesthetic fatigue, Chanel announced Virginie Viard’s departure, appointing Matthieu Blazy—formerly at Bottega Veneta and known for his craftsmanship and innovation—as artistic director. The move sent a clear message: even the most venerable houses must constantly recalibrate between tradition and reinvention. For Armani, the challenge is even more acute. The brand’s DNA—minimalism, quiet elegance, deconstructed tailoring—was almost entirely defined by its founder. Without the 91-year-old maestro at the helm, the group must attract a new generation of consumers through careful rejuvenation while avoiding a loss of identity. Crucially, all transformation must proceed in tandem with the transfer of power. The heirs face more than a financial recovery; they must prove that the brand’s ethos can endure. Xiaohongshu user “Brother Xing helps you understand global business” (@星哥带你看懂全球商业) commented that Armani’s future challenges lies not in money or management, but in how growing something new within its existing style, something that can truly excite the younger generation. According to Corriere della Sera, Armani approved a new corporate structure in his lifetime, introducing multiple classes of shares to diffuse control, and stipulating that only five years after his death could a minority stake be listed. If upheld, the design secures at least a five-year window of strategic stability, reflecting his unwavering commitment to independence and long-term stewardship. Even with a gradual succession mapped, the true test begins in the post-Armani era. History shows that the death of a legendary designer often marks a turning point for luxury houses — a trial not only of governance, but of whether a brand’s cultural essence can survive and thrive in a new era.

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Can Armani remain Armani without its founder?