For any fashion journalist, interviewing Giorgio Armani is the ultimate dream — a career-defining moment. I was fortunate enough to live that dream back in 2008, seventeen years ago. Who would’ve imagined that an Italian boy with ambitions of becoming a surgeon — a young man once immersed in the study of medicine — would instead chart a course that would redefine modern fashion and become a global icon revered by the entire industry… and the world?

The fashion world without Giorgio Armani is almost impossible to envision. His departure leaves behind an irreplaceable void — not just a loss of a designer, but the loss of a visionary whose influence reshaped style itself.

Despite being in the thick of presenting his collections at the time, Mr. Armani graciously gave me a long and generous interview — one that I proudly published, uncut, during my tenure as Fashion Editor with one of my earlier newspapers. What struck me then, and still resonates now, was not just his brilliance but his warmth and curiosity — particularly his deep affection for India. He had visited the country several times and carried its impressions into his design ethos.

“I love the exoticism of India,” he told me that time.  “It is so very different from what I’m used to in Europe and America.” That love found its way into his collections — in the shimmer of silks, in bursts of colour, in cuts subtly inspired by traditional jodhpurs. It was Armani’s genius to absorb without appropriating — to reinterpret cultural nuances into the sleek language of his brand. “Sometimes you can see Indian influences in my collections — particularly in my use of iridescent and shiny fabrics like silk, and my deployment of striking colourful highlights,” he said. “There have also occasionally been trouser shapes that derive from the Indian jodhpuris.”

He adored cinema and its stars — and in many ways, he made the red carpet what it is today: a place where fashion becomes legend. He dressed Indian icons like Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, and his signature style left its mark on Hollywood too — from Richard Gere’s unforgettable wardrobe in American Gigolo to the vintage-inspired menswear in Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables.

What set Giorgio Armani apart wasn’t just his aesthetic — it was his integrity. He never bowed to the pressures of conglomerates eager to acquire his brand. He held tightly to his independence, preserving the purity of his vision until the very end.

From aspiring surgeon to global tastemaker, from the quiet streets of Piacenza, where he was born, to the fashion runways of Paris and Milan — Armani’s journey was anything but predictable. He wasn’t just a designer; he was a perfectionist, a businessman, a storyteller, and a relentless innovator. His razor-sharp menswear redefined masculine elegance in clean and straight line formats, while his women’s collections were coveted across continents. And his empire? It extended far beyond fashion — into beauty, lifestyle, home décor (Casa Armani), and even luxury hospitality with the Armani Hotels.

In every boardroom and atelier, he was present — commanding yet collaborative, bursting with ideas and boundless energy. His was a life lived with discipline, passion, and a tireless pursuit of excellence.

Though whispers of his declining health had been circulating in recent years, his passing still sent shockwaves through the fashion world. No one was quite ready to say goodbye. And now, we’re left wondering: what does the future of fashion look like without Giorgio Armani? Who will take over the company that Mr Armani held so close to himself?

One thing is certain — Mr Armani will always stay with us, and the world!

Arrivederci Signore Armani!