Armani confirms the runway shows and exhibition during fashion week

The Armani Group confirms the regular conduct of the Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani fashion shows, which will present the latest collections designed by the designer on the runway. This was announced by the group. The public opening of the exhibition at the Pinacoteca di Brera, originally planned for Wednesday, September 24, remains unchanged.

The smooth running of the fashion shows and the opening of the exhibition, which Giorgio Armani worked on until the end, “testify to the company’s commitment to continue under the sign of dedication, respect, and attention to work, qualities that have always distinguished Mr. Armani and which he himself imparted to all his collaborators over the years.”

Meanwhile, anticipation is growing by the hour for the designer’s will. The timing is not yet defined, but according to available information, the window for reading the last will stretches from today until next Wednesday: any day could be the day.

Handling the procedure is Milanese notary Elena Terrenghi, tasked with initiating the succession process. A summarized abstract of the death certificate is required to open the succession — a document that usually takes up to 15 days to issue — but the timeframe could be shortened given the importance of the case and the interest involved.

Giorgio Armani, who passed away on September 4 at the age of 91, had no children or spouse, and in the absence of “necessary” legitimate heirs according to Italian law, was able to dispose of his estate independently. During his lifetime, the designer had already prepared and secured bylaws for the group, divided into six categories of shares, with a central role entrusted to the Armani Foundation.

The people called by the notary for the reading of the will, barring any surprises, will be his sister Rosanna Armani; his nieces Silvana and Roberta Armani, daughters of his late brother Sergio; and Andrea Camerana, Rosanna’s son. Also included is Leo Dell’Orco, Armani’s life partner and right-hand man. All five already sit on the Group’s board of directors, with Dell’Orco designated as the coordinator of the select committee that will steer the company until the new corporate structure takes effect. Camerana and the Armani cousins represent the family component of the board, alongside other key managers such as Yoox founder Federico Marchetti and Rothschild banker Irving Bellotti.

The bylaws, updated in 2023, provide for a division into six categories of shares, each with differentiated voting and governance rights, but equal economic rights. A shares (30% of the capital) and F shares (10%) will carry decisive weight: the former are worth 1.33 votes each, the latter 3. Thus, while holding only 40% of the capital, shareholders holding categories A and F will control more than 53% of the votes in the assembly and will be able to appoint a majority of the board of directors, including the chairman and CEO.

The Armani Foundation is most likely to be the recipient of the A and F shares, thus centralizing strategic control of the group. Heirs and trusted associates may receive categories B to E, which hold the majority of the capital but not decision-making power alone. In addition to the corporate share, the will is also expected to regulate the allocation of a personal estate estimated at about €10 billion, which includes valuable real estate such as a penthouse in New York, the historic villa in Forte dei Marmi, and the Capannina, acquired by the group in late August — just days before the fashion designer’s passing.

The Capannina itself was one of the places dearest to Armani, where he met the love of his life, Sergio Galeotti, who died prematurely at age 40 in 1985. Meanwhile, the fashion shows scheduled for fashion week in two weeks are confirmed, featuring Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani, as well as an exhibition dedicated to the 50-year history of the maison at the Pinacoteca di Brera.