Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani died on Thursday at the age of 91, his fashion house announced Armani.
The company stated that a commemorative chapel will be set up in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, followed by a private funeral at an unspecified date.
"With infinite sadness, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder and tireless driving force, Giorgio Armani," the statement said.
Armani, who was 91 years old, was synonymous with contemporary Italian style and elegance. He combined a sense of design with business acumen, leading a company that generated annual revenue of about 2,3 billion euros ($2,7 billion).
He has had health problems for some time, and in June he was forced to cancel his group's shows during Milan Men's Fashion Week - the first time in his career that he has missed one of his runway events.
Known as "King Giorgio" (Re Giorgio), the designer was famous for personally overseeing every detail of his collections and every aspect of the business, from advertisements to the models' hairstyles before hitting the runway.
The company announced that a commemorative chapel will be opened in Milan on Saturday and Sunday, followed by a private funeral at an as yet unknown date.
