On the evening of September 28, 2025, the world of fashion paused for a moment both sweet and somber as Giorgio Armani’s final runway show unfolded at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. What was originally meant to be a jubilant celebration of the 50th anniversary of Armani’s legendary fashion house became, instead, a heartfelt tribute to the man whose name is synonymous with elegance, restraint, and timeless style. Just weeks earlier, Armani had passed away at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy that had shifted the very axis of fashion—and, as the night made clear, a void impossible to fill.
The setting itself was a masterclass in taste and subtlety, mirroring the designer’s own ethos. According to WWD, lanterns glowed softly on the pebbled courtyard, echoing the paper lanterns used at the public viewing of Armani’s body earlier that month. The marble-like catwalk snaked through the cloister, flanked by Armani’s signature padded cream armchairs, as dusk settled over the venue. The atmosphere was, as Cate Blanchett told AFP, heavy with memory: “This moment, this atmosphere speaks for itself. There’s a lot of memories here tonight.”
Blanchett, Glenn Close, Samuel L. Jackson and his wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee, Lauren Hutton, Richard Gere with his wife Alejandra Silva, Zhang Ziyi, and designers like Dries Van Noten and Sir Paul Smith were among the A-list guests who took their seats. Even Anna Wintour, the outgoing Vogue editor-in-chief, was in attendance, lending further gravitas to an event that also marked the close of Milan Fashion Week for the year. The guest list, as reported by BBC, read like a who’s who of film, fashion, and culture, all gathered in Armani’s honor.
As the show began, Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi took his place at the piano, his live performance—including the haunting “Nuvole Bianche”—setting a tone of reflection and reverence. The music’s gentle cadence matched the collection’s opening chapter: feather-light tailored looks in Armani’s signature palette of gray, beige, and that unmistakable greige. These were clothes that, as Vogue observed, “whispered instead of screamed.”
Armani’s legacy rests on the foundation of the casual suit, a concept he revolutionized in the 1980s by stripping the rigidity from tailoring. This final collection was a love letter to that innovation, featuring unlined jackets with sculpted soft shoulders, dropped shoulders, and swingy fabrics that moved with a breath of air. The designer’s fondness for blending masculine and feminine elements was evident in every look, from the clean lines of tonal printed silks to textured knits paired with dainty footwear. As Vogue noted, “He has strayed very little from those tenets in the decades that followed.”
The color story unfolded like a Mediterranean day, inspired by two places dear to Armani: Milan, the city where he built his 2-billion-euro fashion group, and Pantelleria, the volcanic Sicilian island where he found peace in a restored stone retreat. The palette began with cool creamy whites, dove greys, and soft taupes, then tumbled into vibrant Mediterranean blues, greens, and lilac—evoking, as AFP reported, “the light, earth and sea.”
Middle and Far Eastern influences—a recurring theme in Armani’s work—surfaced in harem pants, Mandarin collars, and draped trousers, all rendered with a contemporary touch that never veered into costume. Sparkling Art Deco motifs on jackets, finely pleated dresses, supple leather pieces, loose trenches, drawstring pants, and intricately woven knits rounded out a collection that, in the words of Armani’s own show notes, was “a testament to style and the close of a cycle, so that new ones may begin.”
But the show was more than a retrospective; it was a living tribute. Models who had walked for Armani over five decades returned to the runway, their presence a reminder of the designer’s unwavering commitment to inclusivity and timeless beauty. The finale was especially poignant: Agnese Zogla, one of Armani’s favorite models, appeared alone in a long-sleeved, deep blue glittering gown, featuring an image of Armani’s face. The audience, 700 strong according to BBC, rose in a standing ovation, their applause swelling in recognition of both the clothes and the man who made them.
As the applause faded, Armani’s niece Silvana Armani and his longtime partner and collaborator Leo Dell’Orco took a bow, acknowledging both the legacy and the future of the brand. The show seamlessly transitioned into a visit of the “Giorgio Armani: Milano, Per Amore” exhibition upstairs, where more than 120 of his creations—including Richard Gere’s iconic suit from the 1980 film American Gigolo—were set among Italian masterpieces. Gere and Lauren Hutton, both of whom wore Armani in the film, were present, lending a sense of coming full circle.
Throughout his career, Armani was renowned for his obsessive attention to detail. Even in his final months, as reported by AP, he continued to oversee preparations for his shows, sometimes via video link when ill health kept him from traveling. He met with staff in person and pored over presentations until days before his death, determined to personally fine-tune each collection. “He lived and breathed these clothes,” wrote Vogue, and it showed in every stitch.
Armani’s philosophy was always clear: “Elegance is not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.” His final collection embodied this credo—delicate, airy, and quietly powerful. The press release described it as “a powerful stylistic statement, expressed through weightless clothes, an airy elegance that remains unforgettable.” In a world burdened by uncertainty and noise, Armani’s message was one of ease and simplicity, a reminder that true style is both effortless and eternal.
As Milan Fashion Week drew to a close, the fashion world bid farewell to a titan whose influence reached far beyond the runway. Giorgio Armani’s last show was not just a conclusion, but a celebration of a life’s work—a legacy that will, without question, be remembered.
