Instagram/@annehathawayAnne Hathaway was overcome by a torrent of emotions as the artist was bid a heartfelt goodbye. The actress expressed great thanks for the fashion house, which had influenced her life and career, adding that: “Armani, a wonderful and generous visionary, had made Armani beautify my world.”
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How can one start to measure the importance of Giorgio Armani? The Italian designer, for decades, really never designed fashion but rather the whole concept of understated luxury, which was set to revolutionize the paradigm of glamour for Hollywood and the rest of the world. The death of Armani leaves an old-world fashion void, and in this, it is quite aptly captured in H’s emotional post.
“Grazie Maestro” was Hathaway’s ultimate farewell. In those words stood thousands more who viewed Armani as more than a mere designer; he was an artist whose interventions altered historic marks of modern elegance.
Tributes were pouring in in numerous languages, many at the same time, while expressing the very same depth of feeling regarding the loss. “One of the best Italian designers. He brought elegance, style, and class to all the world. The absolute king of high fashion!” The statement could not be more apt when it comes to explaining the global reach of Armani-he was more than just a celebrity dresser; he was a global standard-bearer for style.
Another testimony stands out for a slightly more personal reflection: “In these hours I have seen many tributes for Giorgio, but this video has excited me. I grew up in the myth of Giorgio Armani and with his disappearance a piece of my youth flew away. Giorgio is forever.” A high emotional charge is felt as Opera interweaves her work with personal memories and landmarks of people across generations.
Most poignant is probably the simplest of comments: “Eleganza non è essere notati, è essere ricordati.” The follower who posted this quote, rather, must have channelled this sunnily into what appears to be an explanation of the philosophy of Armani’s design. His design in reality shunned all glamor; it was the kind of invisible style, the kind whispered down to you by quality and beauty that had no reason to speak.
The relationship of Hathaway with Armani went beyond the usual fashion-gossipy kind of news which red carpet wear always generates. Brockway says that Hathaway selected many Armani creations for some of her biggest red carpet events, including around fourteen appearances at the Academy Awards at which the gowns garnered almost as much talk as her performances. It was a relationship of mutual respect where they both understood they were working together to make an indelible impression.
The very thought, the vision, was what made Armani unique. Of course, real luxury for him was never about screaming logos or whimsy details: it was the cut and the fabric and the feeling of the garment itself, how it made the wearer feel. Dark clothes are supposed to exalt you; they should never be a shadow. Many of these thoughts hit Amen deeply Suzuki, herself an elegant actress who perfectly mirrors that look.
The world has lost one of the last great craftsmen. An era of fast fashion, Armani was championing character design with just a little bit of intrigue and a whole lot of heart. From actual runway events to how professionals dress, to Photoshop to Charli’s laptop, all the way inside and outside Hollywood and every other politician on whose payer list the Channel 2 public had been hung, and how the world thinks about putting their wardrobes in order.
Hathaway reminds us that great designers never merely make clothes-they make culture. Armani’s legacy consists of everything that he has ever made: a perfectly tailored jacket, a throwback evening gown, and an empowered walk. Though Maestro is gone, his vision of understated, classic elegance will forever be around through the present generation and many that follow.
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A commenter superbly summed up: “An era has ended forever: the Armani era.” What a great era it was indeed.
