By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, the Armani Group announced on Thursday.
The designer is credited with curating a quintessentially Italian aesthetic in his clothes over the course of his decades-long practice, as well as taking Hollywood’s red carpets to new heights.
In 2008, Giorgio Armani acquired the Olimpia Milano Basketball Club from Giorgio Corbelli, becoming the sole owner and significantly altering the management structure, which ultimately led the iconic team into the modern EuroLeague era.
All the EuroLeague clubs expressed publicly their condolences via social media, and the EuroLeague issued the following press release:
“Euroleague Basketball joins the Italian and global basketball family in mourning Giorgio Armani, the legendary fashion designer and passionate basketball patron, who passed away on Monday at the age of 91.
Armani purchased Olimpia Milano in 2008 from Giorgio Corbelli, becoming the club’s sole owner and ushering in a new golden era. Under his stewardship, the team reclaimed its place among Europe’s elite, capturing six Italian League crowns, four Italian Cups, and five Italian Supercups. In 2021, Olimpia Milano returned to the EuroLeague Final Four for the first time since 1992, a milestone achievement in the club’s modern history. Courtside seats in Milan and across the continent often featured Armani himself, a testament to his deep devotion to the game and his players.
“Giorgio Armani was a pioneer, a global cultural leader, and a true friend of our sport,” said Dejan Bodiroga, Euroleague Basketball President. “I am deeply grateful for his invaluable contribution and support to Euroleague Basketball, his passing leaves an irreplaceable void, but his legacy will inspire generations to come.”
Beyond basketball, Armani was a towering figure in global culture. He founded the Armani brand in 1975, revolutionizing the fashion industry and later expanding into entertainment, sport, and luxury hospitality. Known as the pioneer of red-carpet fashion, his influence extended far beyond the runway, shaping how generations experienced elegance and lifestyle. Among countless accolades, he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2021, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“Mr. Armani’s showed that basketball could stand proudly alongside art, fashion, and culture, enriching the game with values that transcended the court. We are profoundly grateful for everything he gave to European basketball” stated Paulius Motiejunas, Euroleague Basketball CEO.
Giorgio Armani will be remembered not only as one of the greatest designers of all time, but also as a generous supporter of sport, a visionary leader, and a proud ambassador of Italian excellence”.
“Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,” the Armani Group said in a statement, describing the founder as “a tireless driving force.”
“In this company, we have always felt like part of a family,” read a statement provided by the brand on behalf of his family and employees. “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.”