Legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died, the Armani Group announced on Thursday. He was 91.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force,” the company said in a statement provided on behalf of Armani’s family and employees.

“In this company, we have always felt like part of a family,” read another statement provided by the brand. “Today, with deep emotion, we feel the void left by the one who founded and nurtured this family with vision, passion, and dedication. But it is precisely in his spirit that we, the employees and the family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, commit to protecting what he built and to carrying his company forward in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love.”

Armani’s designs are known for their elegance and modern Italian style. He is credited with revolutionizing men’s fashion in the 1970s and 1980s, combining the sharp look of a businessman and the flair of a fashion designer with unstructured jackets and muted color palettes. His work also extended beyond the runway, as he elevated Hollywood celebrity wardrobes and fashion on the red carpet.

Armani made his celebrity Hollywood debut at the 50th Academy Awards with actress Diane Keaton in April 1978. He styled her in a beige jacket with a long skirt, and she was the first actress to wear his designs on the red carpet.

Celebrity tributes to Armani poured in on Thursday following the news of his death.

Actress Julia Roberts, a longtime fan turned friend of Armani, wrote, “A true friend. A Legend. ????”

In a series of posts on X, Australian actor Russell Crowe recalled how his lost luggage on the way to the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 led him to his love of Armani fashion.

“Mr Armani has made a deep contribution, to fashion, to design, to popular culture,” he wrote. “His energy, vision and finesse has made a mark acknowledged around the globe. I adored him. He was so kind. So many significant moments in my life, awards, wedding, Wimbledon... all in Armani.”

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani paid tribute to the iconic designer, who he described as “a timeless talent and ambassador of Made in Italy in the world” in a translated post on X.

“A visionary of fashion, a refined interpreter of the elegance and beauty of our Country. [He] represents an extraordinary story of success,” he added.

Italian TV presenter Simona Ventura said on social media, “Giorgio, you are and will always be our KING.”

In June, Armani was forced to drop out of his company’s shows at Men’s Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, marking the first time in his career that he missed one of his own fashion events. At the time, the company released a statement without specifying his health condition, saying only that Armani was “currently recovering at home.”

Armani cofounded the luxury fashion house bearing his name in 1975 in Milan. He was known as “Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio) and oversaw every detail of his collection and every detail of his business, including ad campaigns and fixing models’ hair before they walked the runway.

Armani was one of the few luxury designers to remain the only shareholder of his company, which made $2.7 billion last year. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index indicates the fashion designer’s net worth to be $9.43 billion.

The Armani Group said a public funeral chamber will be set up on Saturday and Sunday in Milan. A private funeral will be held at an unspecified date.