"King Giorgio" passed away yesterday at the age of 91. The king of fashion, Giorgio Armani, never stopped working: just last May 26th, he appeared smiling at the presentation of Italy's Olympic uniforms, the EA7 sportswear line, created for the athletes at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. It was a moment that highlighted his dual love for sport and the Lombardy capital.

The inventor of the famous unstructured jacket, a "quiet revolution, and therefore truly effective and lasting" as Armani himself described it, successfully turned the fabric into a means of empowerment. "I believe the innovation was to make women stronger internally and to remove rigidity from men", he said. In 1991, Armani lent his skills as a stylist -a term he coined to define himself as "one who creates style"- to design the Alitalia staff uniform. In this way, even through their looks, the national airline's workers were showcasing Italian elegance and culture internationally.

Maintained until 1998, the color Armani chose for the suit was unusual for the time: it was greige, a mix of gray and beige. "I was looking for a shade that was warm yet metropolitan, understated yet not predictable. And greige is all of this for me: discreet, sophisticated, and natural. I love natural colors; they convey a profound sense of tranquility and serenity, and they're a foundation upon which anything can be built", he explained when describing the shade. For women, the uniform included a masculine-cut shirt, a double-breasted jacket, and an above-the-knee skirt. Over that, a double-breasted coat and a raincoat, while mid-heeled shoes and a shoulder bag added the finishing touches.