The death of Giorgio Armani has triggered a global surge in demand for his vintage designs, even as family, close friends and admirers prepared on Monday to bid farewell to the legendary Italian fashion designer at a private funeral in Rivalta.
Armani, who died on Thursday at the age of 91, left behind an empire built over five decades - from haute couture and home furnishings to the popular Emporio Armani line of jeans and sportswear.
Right up until his final days, he remained immersed in design, working on a retrospective exhibition and a show planned for Milan Fashion Week later this month to mark 50 years of his fashion house.
The news of his passing sparked not only grief and tributes worldwide, but also a surge in appetite for his past creations. Online searches containing the word "Armani" on Vinted, Europe's largest second-hand clothing marketplace, were nearly three times higher than average on Thursday.
US luxury resale platform The RealReal reported a 212% jump in searches for Armani the same day, while Google Trends showed spikes for "vintage Armani" in both Italy and the UK.
On Vestiaire Collective, sellers quickly listed rare pieces ranging from a black 1990s silk blazer priced at £245 ($331) to a 2002 leather and rabbit fur jacket valued at £571 ($771).
In Paris, luxury menswear dealer Ammar Boulai said he expected heightened demand for Armani suits from the 1970s and 80s, particularly wide-trousered and fluid silhouettes that are back in vogue.
"Four or five years ago, these 80s style suits were impossible to sell. Now they are really in vogue, but impossible to find," he said. "Armani produced a lot and had many sub-brands, so there must be plenty hidden away. Maybe people will open their drawers now."
Meanwhile in Italy, Armani was being honoured with a private ceremony at the San Martino church in Rivalta, about 100 kilometres south-east of Milan and close to his birthplace, Piacenza.
He will be laid to rest in the family chapel alongside his parents and older brother. As a mark of respect, Armani stores across the world planned to close for the afternoon.
"We will say goodbye to him as a family and then move forward as he would have wanted. Everything is ready to remember him with his fashion," said his partner, Pantaleo Dell'Orco, in remarks published by Corriere della Sera.
Over the weekend, thousands of admirers filed past Armani's wooden casket, adorned with white roses, at his Milan headquarters. Tributes poured in from Hollywood stars, sporting icons, political leaders and ordinary Italians.
"I feel very saddened, because he was a man of great style who, of course, has left an indelible mark We are definitely losing a truly great talent," said Milan resident Alessandra Torchio.
Known as Re Giorgio (King Giorgio), Armani's name became synonymous with elegant simplicity. Though he never married and had no children, he worked with a close circle of relatives and trusted confidants who are expected to carry forward his tightly held company.
For now, both the fashion industry and the wider public are mourning the end of an era - while celebrating the timeless designs that continue to command attention, from Milan's runways to second-hand boutiques around the world.
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