On 4 September 2025, the world lost a king of fashion, but few knew of his secret love affair with India. Giorgio Armani, Milan’s “Re Giorgio", found inspiration in our colours, our craft, and our timeless traditions.
In 1994, Armani set foot in India, not as a tourist, but as a seeker of inspiration. For a designer known for his muted Milanese palette, India’s vibrancy was a revelation.
From bustling cities to quiet villages, he immersed himself in the vibrant marigolds and indigos, the weave of khadi and handwoven silk, and the heritage that hummed through centuries of craft.
Armani often said India’s craft was visceral — every thread, bead, and fold carried a story of patience, rhythm, and soul. Back in Milan, that story quietly shaped his sketches, mood boards, and collections.
In 2019, he revisited India’s influence with a capsule collection centred on the achkan—reimagined in cashmere and velvet, with subtle ‘GA’ embroidery and a flowing Nehru collar. Each piece moved effortlessly from Jaipur palaces to Milan runways, proving cultural dialogue can be quiet yet powerful.
Armani himself never chased trends. He insisted on permanence, letting the elegance of tailoring and the grace of a gown speak louder than spectacle ever could.
Designers like Dolly J and Abhishek Ray found resonance in Armani’s philosophy of restraint, respect for craft, and timelessness—not as a blueprint to imitate, but as inspiration.
Milan crowned him the King of Fashion, but India remembers him as a designer who saw the soul of a culture and let it shine through his work.
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