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Giorgio Armani shared his greatest regret just days before his death


Giorgio Armani was a pioneer in the fashion industry, as his brand became synonymous with sleek tailoring and elegant designs


giorgio armani catwalk© Getty Images
Faye James
Faye JamesSenior Editor
September 5, 2025
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Giorgio Armani's death has rocked the fashion world, with several celebrities and style icons sharing touching tributes to the late designer. He was a pioneer in the world of menswear and went on to build his eponymous brand into a billion-dollar empire, expanding into accessories, perfumes, restaurants, hotels, cosmetics and furnishings. Hailing from Northern Italy, he started out as a window dresser in a department store before becoming one of the industry's leading designers. Just days before his death, the 91-year-old reflected on his incredible career and revealed his one regret in life.  

Looking back

"I don't know if I'd use the word workaholic, but hard work is certainly essential to success," Giorgio told the Financial Times in an interview published on August 29. "My only regret in life was spending too many hours working and not enough time with friends and family."

He added that his "greatest weakness is that I am in control of everything," as evidenced by his absence from Milan Fashion Week in June, an event which he had never missed. "I oversaw every aspect of the show remotely via video link, from the fittings to the sequence and the make-up," Giorgio told the publication. "Everything you will see has been done under my direction and carries my approval."

As for his greatest strength, the icon shared that it was the "ability to believe in my ideas and the determination – sometimes the stubbornness – to carry them through."

Moving forward

Questions of succession arose during the interview, with Giorgio revealing that he wanted a smooth and peaceful transition of power after his death. "My plans for succession consist of a gradual transition of the responsibilities that I have always handled to those closest to me, such as Leo Dell'Orc [head of men's design for the Armani Group], the members of my family and the entire working team," he said. "I would like the succession to be organic and not a moment of rupture."

Giorgio Armani acknowledges the audience during the Giorgio Armani Prive Spring Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week  on January 22, 2019 in Paris, France© Getty
The designer regretted sacrificing his relationships for success

Giorgio previously opened up about who would take on the mantle once he had passed away, sharing that he had made secure plans of succession. "In these years I've surrounded myself with skilled collaborators, people that I trained and helped develop while thinking of my succession," he told GQ in 2015. "So I can assure you that everything is in place. When the time is right, my team will move on its own, standing strong against any flood."

Italian designer Giorgio Armani acknowledges the applause with Latvian model Agnes Zogla at the end of his presentation for Armani Prive during the Women's Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2025 Fashion Week to mark its 20th anniversary, in Paris on January 28, 2025. © AFP via Getty Images
He built a billion-dollar empire over 50 years

He added that success had cost him many personal relationships throughout his life. "I understood, too, that success like this requires total commitment, if it is going to take on a life of its own," Giorgio explained. "I'm disappointed that many times I had to give up relationships for work."

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, born in Piacenza in 1935, examines drawings for new designs, 1979© Getty
Giorgio launched his menswear brand in 1975

Saying goodbye

The Armani team announced their fearless leader's death via social media on Thursday, writing: "In this company, we have always felt like part of a family. Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication."

giorgio armani waving© Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Im
The 91-year-old was a pioneer in the fashion industry

The statement continued: "But it is precisely in his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love." Giorgio launched his brand in 1975, and quickly became known for his perfectly tailored pieces and timelessly elegant vision. 

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