Giorgio Armani sees his succession as a gradual handover to his closest collaborators and family, the Italian fashion designer told the Financial Times on Friday, after poor health forced him to miss the recent Milan and Paris fashion shows.
Before skipping Milan in June, Armani, 91, who is both creative director and CEO of the company he founded, had never missed one of his catwalk events.
“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’Orco, the members of my family and the entire working team,” he told FT’s How To Spend It supplement.
Pantaleo (Leo) Dell’Orco is head of men’s design and Armani’s right-hand man.
“I would like the succession to be organic and not a moment of rupture,” Armani added.
One of the fashion world’s best-known figures, Armani is sole shareholder of the company he set up with his late partner Sergio Galeotti in 1975, which generated revenue of €2.3 billion ($2.69 billion) in 2024.
By Elisa Anzolin
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