The fashion world bid farewell to an icon on Sunday night as Giorgio Armani’s final collection, personally signed before his passing earlier this month, was unveiled in a solemn yet spectacular runway show at Milan’s Brera Art Gallery. The showcase, which marked the 50th anniversary of Armani’s signature line, drew a glittering audience including Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton, Glenn Close, and Spike Lee, who gathered in tribute to the designer who redefined global style.

Gere, who wore Armani’s now-legendary soft-shouldered suits in American Gigolo (1980), recalled how the clothes shaped his character on screen. “I started trying the clothes on, and the clothes actually started telling me who this guy was,” he said. Hutton described Armani as a “treasure” to Italy’s economy, while Spike Lee hailed him as “a giant for the industry. A great humanitarian.” Close added that Armani was “a very special element” in her life, often lending her outfits and even attending her performances in person.

The show itself unfolded like a living tribute. Models walked slowly in pairs beneath glowing lanterns, while Ludovico Einaudi played live, infusing the evening with poignancy. The collection drew inspiration from Armani’s beloved Milan and the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, blending earthy sandy tones with sleek urban blues and grays in the relaxed tailoring that defined his silhouette. A lone model in a glittering blue evening gown closed the show to thunderous applause, before Armani’s chosen successors—Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco—took their bow to a standing ovation. The late designer’s empire, valued at nearly €10 billion, stands as a testament to a man who not only dressed the world but reshaped its idea of elegance.

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