On September 4, 2025, the world bid farewell to Giorgio Armani, or “Re Giorgio,” as Milan called him. For more than five decades, he dressed the world in elegance stripped of excess. His passing at 91 leaves fashion with a silence that feels both dignified and devastating—marking the end of an era. And while his empire stretched from Hollywood red carpets to skyscrapers bearing his name, a part of Armani’s story, a more intimate one, was written in India.
In 1994, Armani embarked on a journey that would linger far beyond flight schedules and travel itineraries. He travelled through India’s cities and villages, absorbing the palette of marigold and indigo, the weave of khadi and silk, the rhythm of heritage stitched into daily life. For a man celebrated for his muted Milanese palette, India offered a different kind of awakening. It wasn’t the spectacle that caught his eye, but the dignity of detail—the kind of beauty that doesn’t need to announce itself. Armani often reflected that India’s craft was not just visual, but visceral: a story written in every thread, bead, and fold.
That trip didn’t end when he returned to Via Borgonuovo in Milan. India travelled back with him, eventually shaping his mood boards and eventually, his collections. In his hands, India’s traditional finery found a new expression—stripped of excess, refined with restraint, and given a modern, global ease.
Two decades later, in 2019, Armani distilled those impressions into something rare: a capsule collection dedicated to India, anchored by the achkan. Traditionally regal and often associated with grooms and dignitaries, the achkan was reimagined in Armani’s world—crafted in wool, cashmere, and velvet, lined with discreet ‘GA’ embroidery, its Nehru collar standing tall but softened with a fluidity only Armani could conjure.
It was clothing that could slip seamlessly between a palace courtyard in Jaipur and a Milan runway—affirming that cultural dialogue need not be loud to be profound.
For Indian designers, Armani’s design language offered not imitation but resonance—an affirmation that minimalism could be deeply luxurious.
Indian fashion designer and the founder of her eponymous luxury fashion label, ‘Dolly J Studio’, Dolly J believes his philosophy continues to echo across couture. “True luxury lies in restraint, refinement, and the unbroken dialogue between silhouette and substance,” she says. “At Dolly J, we embrace this philosophy: balancing the grandeur of Indian handwork with purity of form and modern wearability—crafting couture that honours heritage yet transcends seasonality, echoing the permanence Armani championed through an Indian vocabulary of artistry and detail.”
She adds that Armani’s attraction to India was natural. “He found inspiration in our colours and textiles, distilling their richness into a universal language of quiet luxury, a dialogue we at Dolly J deeply resonate with.”
When asked what the fashion world will most miss, J’s answer is simple: “Armani’s unwavering commitment to timelessness is an elegance untouched by fleeting trends. He reminded us that true design is not spectacle, but substance; not noise, but a soft power that endures.”
Kolkata-based designer Abhishek Ray, meanwhile, reflects on Armani’s balance of structure and fluidity. “Armani’s design sensibility can never be compared or be seen influencing the Indian fashion scenario as it has always been ahead of time, always on point with the fashion forecast and completely market or client specific.”
For him, it’s Armani’s understated luxury and eye for detail that resonate most with Indian sensibilities. “When anybody will remember Giorgio, they will remember him for the timeless elegance of his couture,” he says.
What made Armani remarkable was his refusal to be swept up by trends. In an industry that thrives on novelty, he insisted on permanence. His suits liberated men from rigid tailoring; his gowns carried a sculptural grace that didn’t chase spectacle. And when he turned his gaze to India, he didn’t seek to modernise us, as so many foreign designers have mistakenly attempted. Instead, he held what he saw with reverence, interpreting it in ways that felt both authentic and universal.
Milan crowned him “Re Giorgio”—the King of Fashion. But for those who remember his time in India, Armani was more than a monarch of tailoring. He was a rare designer who understood that fashion could be a bridge: between cultures, between eras, between the noise of a trend and the dignity of tradition.
As tributes pour in worldwide, India too bows its head in gratitude. For Armani leaves us not just with an empire and an aesthetic, but with a reminder—etched into the cut of an achkan—that respect and restraint are themselves forms of beauty.
1. Why is Giorgio Armani’s connection to India significant?
Armani’s 1994 travels through India deeply influenced his design philosophy. He absorbed India’s colours, textiles, and craft, reinterpreting them with his signature minimalism.
2. What was the achkan capsule collection?
In 2019, Armani introduced a capsule collection inspired by India’s achkan, reimagined in wool, cashmere, and velvet with subtle detailing and a modern silhouette.
3. How did Armani view Indian craft and design?
He saw India’s heritage not as exotic spectacle but as dignified detail—an authenticity he carried into his global collections.
4. How did Indian designers respond to Armani’s influence?
Designers like Dolly J and Abhishek Ray admire his philosophy of restraint, timelessness, and the way he balanced tradition with modernity.
5. What legacy does Armani leave behind?
Armani’s legacy lies in timeless elegance—showing the world that true luxury is restraint, permanence, and respect for craft.
