Iconic fashion designer Giorgi Armani, who died on Sept. 4 at the age of 91, was survived by a longtime partner.
The Italian designer, who dressed many celebrities over his lifetime and left behind a net worth of more than $12 billion, met his partner Leo Dell’orco in the 1970s while walking a dog. Dell’orco later became the head of menswear design for Armani’s fashion house.
In 2023, Dell’orco told Repubblica, “Giorgio Armani and I have been a lifelong partnership.”
Armani’s fashion house announced his death on Instagram.
According to Reuters, Dell’orco, called Pantaleo, is cited as a possible heir to Armani’s fortune, although with his sister Rosanna, nieces Silvana and Roberta, and neohew Andrea Camerana.
Giorgio Armani Described Leo Dell’orco as ‘the Person Closest to Me’
Armani was very private, but he did describe Dell’orco as the person closest to him in an interview with Corriere Della Sera, an Italian language publication.
“So you’re in love now?” the news site’s author asked.
“No, I’m a bit indifferent to that, because I do the math and say: it’s pointless to be in love and give little space to your love, because I don’t have the space,” Armani responded. “Except for my deep affection for Leo Dell’Orco, who has lived with me for years and is the person closest to me.”
According to Repubblica, Dell’Orco was “his right-hand man, perhaps the person closest to him, and he is the one the designer has chosen as the ideal ‘heir’ to his work, along with his niece Silvana Armani. She focuses on women, he on men.”
In that interview, Dell’Orco described their meeting.
“At the park on Via Tiraboschi, here in Milan: his dog had started playing with a friend’s dog, whom I was walking with,” he said. “I was 24 years old, and had been working at Snam for years, first as an advertising executive and then as an industrial designer. I started modeling for the companies he worked with.”
He gushed about Armani: ““He’s the most creative of all: if he could, he’d dare even more.”
According to Vanity Fair, before Dell’Orco, Armani’s boyfriend was Sergio Galeotti, described as “Armani’s lover, inspiration, and founding business partner,” but he died at age 40.
“Whatever I did in work was done for Sergio. And Sergio did everything for me. So that was the heart,” Armani told Vanity Fair.
Leo Dell’Orco Appeared on Behalf of Armani at a Fashion Show
In June, Armani’s Instagram page shared a photo of Dell’orco with others, and wrote, “Story of balance and lightness brought to a close as Menswear Head of Design Leo Dell’Orco appeared on behalf of Mr. Armani, closing the Giorgio Armani Spring Summer 2026 Men’s Fashion Show at Armani/Teatro.”
“With profound sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” the statement read.
“Mr. Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by his employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, its collections, and the diverse and ever-evolving projects both existing and in progress,” it continued.
“Over the years, Giorgio Armani created a vision that extended from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and concreteness. He was guided by an inexhaustible curiosity and a focus on the present and its people,” the statement noted./ “Along this journey, he fostered an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to communicate with everyone. Always attentive to the needs of the community, he was committed on many fronts, especially to his beloved Milan.”
His family and employees “will lead the Group forward, respecting and maintaining these values,” the company said, noting that Armani’s “chapel of rest” will be open from Sept. 6 to
