Cate Blanchett led the celebrities attending the Armani show during Milan Fashion Week on Sunday as they paid tribute to the late designer.  

The event, marking the brand’s 50th year, featured the final designs by the iconic Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani after he peacefully departed at home on September 4.

To honor his legacy, the courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera Museum was illuminated with candles, as the fashion house expressed their profound grief over his passing.

Attending the show, Cate, who wore a structured black and gold jacket, was joined by Eiza Gonzalez and Nathalie Emmanuel.  

The actress, 56, who had been dressed by Giorgio throughout her career, teamed her look with wide leg trousers and black stiletto heels. 

Eiza, 35, wore a beaded collared jacket with a coordinating pair of straight leg trousers and heels. 

Cate Blanchett led the celebrities attending the Armani show during Milan Fashion Week on Sunday as they paid tribute to the late designer

Attending the show, Cate was joined by Eiza Gonzalez (L) and Nathalie Emmanuel (R)

Actress Nathalie, 36, opted for a strapless tapestry gown with a long fur coat draped over her shoulders. 

They were joined at the event by former editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour, 75, who wore all-white.  

Carlo Capasa, president of the Italian Fashion Chamber, confirmed the Armani show would be taking place in a statement released earlier this week. 

He mentioned: ‘We will honor Milan Fashion Week by celebrating one of its pioneers, Giorgio Armani, and his tremendous contributions to creativity, business, and personal achievements—especially during this transformative phase in the fashion world.’

Armani died just weeks ahead of the planned 50th anniversary celebration

His 50-year career at the forefront of fashion left a lasting legacy, transforming office attire for both men and women in the 1980s, introducing the ‘stealth wealth’ concept in the 1990s, and continuing to dominate the red carpet throughout.

A company representative stated: ‘Today, with heartfelt emotion, we mourn the absence of our founder, who led this family with vision, fervor, and commitment.’

Until his passing, Armani served as both CEO and creative director and noted in his final interview the previous weekend: ‘My biggest flaw is my need to oversee everything.’

The presentation, which honoured the brand’s 50th anniversary, showcased Italian fashion designer Giorgio’s final creations after he passed away peacefully at home on September 4 (Armani is pictured here during One Night Only series in Dubai on October 26, 2021)

In celebration of his life, t he courtyard of the Pinacoteca di Brera Museum was lined with candles while the fashion house described their ‘infinite sorrow’ at his loss

Cate wore a structured black and gold jacket with wide leg trousers

Eiza, 35, wore a beaded collared jacket with a coordinating pair of straight leg trousers and heels

Actress Nathalie, 36, opted for a strapless tapestry gown with a long fur coat draped over her shoulders

They were joined at the event by former editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour, 75, who wore all-white

Giorgio’s niece Silvana Armani and the historic collaborator Leo Dell’Orco greeted the audience at the end of the Giorgio Armani collection show

The self-confessed workaholic, who was involved in every aspect of shows, had previously revealed how his biggest regret in life was ‘spending too many hours working and not enough time with friends and family’.

Armani, who dressed celebrities including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Lady Gaga, was famous for his relaxed tailoring.

He was one of the most influential and globally famous designers of the late 20th century.

Fellow Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace said the ‘world had lost a giant today’.

Writing on Instagram, she said: ‘He made history and will be remembered forever.’

Armani’s funeral will be private, the group said, but well-wishers can pay respects beforehand at a funeral chamber open on Saturday and Sunday in Milan.

‘Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones,’ the company said.

‘Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects,’ the company said.

Armani had cancelled his menswear show in Milan this year due to health reasons. He also missed the Paris Armani Prive show on doctors’ orders.

He directed a couture show in Paris, titled Noir Seduisant in July 2025, remotely from Milan due to a short illness. 

‘In 20 years of Armani Prive, it’s the first time I’m not in Paris,’ he said in a statement in July.

‘My doctors advised more rest, even though I felt ready.’

James Norton shielded his eyes with sunglasses as he departed the show 

He added that he had ‘followed and overseen every aspect of the show remotely’, stressing: ‘I approved and signed off on everything you will see.’

He said in January that ‘taking a step back in the near future [was] inevitable’ but he would ‘continue as long as my health and energy permits’.

In October last year, Armani said he planned to retire within ‘two to three years’.

He said in an interview published in Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper that he has restless nights in which he dreams of a future in which ‘I no longer have to be the one who says ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.’ 

The Italian icon was credited with inventing red-carpet fashion, but also moved into a younger and less expensive range through Emporio Armani, and opened luxury hotels.

Italy’s Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli led the tributes, paying homage to ‘a leading figure in Italian culture, who was able to transform elegance into a universal language’.

‘His understated and innovative style redefined the relationship between fashion, cinema, and society, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary culture,’ he said.

‘He was not only a master of fashion, but also a recognised ambassador of Italian identity around the world.’

Armani also dressed some of the most iconic characters in Hollywood with his creations seen in The Wolf of Wall Street, Batman’s The Dark Knight, and American Gigolo.   

He was synonymous with modern Italian style and elegance. He combined the flair of the designer with the acumen of a businessman, running a company that turned over some 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) a year.

He had been unwell for some time, and was forced to drop out of his group’s shows at Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June, the first time in his career that he had missed one of his catwalk events.