Venice Film Festival: Highlighting Armani’s ‘King Giorgio’ on the Red Carpet

For many years, the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival served as a prominent showcase for Giorgio Armani’s elegant designs, captivating audiences worldwide.

With the passing of the legendary Italian fashion designer at 91, the festival on the beautiful Lido concludes a significant era defined by Armani’s deep passion for film and Hollywood’s admiration for his sartorial brilliance.

Festival organizers praised Armani, often nicknamed “King Giorgio” in Italy, as an “Italian genius of fashion and style” with a long-standing relationship with the event.

“Cinema was Giorgio Armani’s first love, a passion that began in childhood and never left him,” the festival declared in an official statement.

“This enduring affection is why Giorgio became such a close friend of the Venice International Film Festival, frequently attending and supporting it in recent years.”

For the eighth consecutive year, Armani Beauty takes the lead as the primary sponsor of the eleven-day festival, culminating on Saturday with the awarding of the Golden Lion to one of 21 international films.

Using his keen business insight, Armani was among the first designers to see how cinema could elevate fashion. His collaboration with Richard Gere in 1980, designing the relaxed wardrobe for “American Gigolo,” launched both their careers to new heights.

Numerous films featuring stars dressed by Armani have graced the Venice festival, including Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” in 1987 and Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” in 1990.

Decades of Relationships and Impact

Armani’s long-standing friendship with Scorsese began with “Made in Milan,” a short film showcasing the designer as he prepared for a fashion event.

“Like all great designers, Giorgio considers not just how someone looks on a red carpet but also the comfort they need in everyday life,” Scorsese remarked in a 2015 tribute in Vanity Fair, honoring the 40th anniversary of Armani’s fashion house.

He highlighted the “timeless elegance” of Armani’s work, noting that it beautifully eschewed fleeting trends for a more enduring style.

Just three days prior to his passing, the Armani Group hosted a star-studded event in Venice, attended by notable figures like Cate Blanchett.

This celebration marked 50 years of the brand and unveiled “Armani/Archivio,” a digital archive featuring some of Armani’s most iconic looks to be made available to the public.

During the festival’s opening ceremony last week, Venice regular Blanchett donned an exquisite black Armani Prive gown embellished with bold black jewels, showcasing the designer’s timeless elegance.

Armani’s legacy, as Blanchett stated, “leaves a void that is impossible to fill.” She emphasized that this gap extends not only across fashion, art, cinema, theater, architecture, and design but also in the hearts of countless individuals whose lives he touched.