Giorgio Armani died on September 4, 2025, at age 91, and his will set a firm deadline for part of his fashion empire's future: a 15% stake must be sold within 18 months of his death, putting the effective deadline at around March 2027. Three companies, LVMH, L'Oréal and EssilorLuxottica, have been named as preferred buyers, though CEO Giuseppe Marsocci has indicated the stake doesn't necessarily have to go to just one of them. "It is not written in stone that there has to be one," he said, leaving open the possibility that the 15% could be split among multiple buyers.
Negotiations begin, quietly
Under the terms of the will, formal negotiations could only start after the first anniversary of Armani's death in September 2026. Marsocci has suggested talks may already be underway, saying speculation to that effect "may have some logic," without confirming specifics. The stake sale represents one of the most closely watched succession events in luxury fashion, given Armani's decades-long insistence on maintaining independent control of his company.
A creative direction taking shape
Alongside the ownership questions, the house's creative direction is also evolving. Dario Vitale was recently appointed to lead accessories and serve as creative director of Emporio Armani, a move that's fueled speculation about how the brand's aesthetic will shift post-Armani. The label's latest collection, Evolution, leaned into fluid silhouettes and metallic accents, and notably incorporated cotton, a material the designer reportedly avoided during his lifetime but one his niece, Silvana Armani, is said to favor.