A silent and composed crowd passed through Via Bergognone for two days, paying homage to Giorgio Armani in the chapel of rest set up in his theater, the same space that hosted his fashion shows for decades. Since Saturday morning, thousands of people have been lining up since the early hours to pay their respects to the great designer, who passed away on September 4th at the age of 91.

Over 6,000 visitors on the first day, nearly 10,000 on the second: not just Milanese, but admirers from all over Italy to pay homage to a man who made fashion and costume history.

Among those most moved were the company's employees, whom Armani considered part of his family . Many of them showed up on the second day as well, like a longtime collaborator who explained, "Yesterday I forgot to tell him something."

The tribute was shared by friends, colleagues, and well-known faces. After Donatella Versace, who arrived on Wednesday, his brother Santo also paid a personal farewell to Armani. Olympic champion Federica Pellegrini spoke of her special bond with the designer: "We spoke before and after the competitions. His white roses have accompanied me around the world. It's not an easy day."

There were also numerous testimonials from the world of cinema, which Armani deeply loved . Margherita Buy spoke of his ability to build authentic relationships, while Stefano Accorsi fondly recalled his curiosity: "He once spoke to me in detail about one of my lesser films. He had actually seen it, not out of convention. He was an attentive man, and this made him great."

Many remembered his spontaneous gestures of generosity . "During dinner, I told him he had a nice watch," Margherita Buy recounted, "and he took it off and gave it to me." A similar experience befell Isabella Ferrari, who received her first Armani dress on her mother's advice, upon winning the Volpi Cup. "I had nothing, I was very young. He helped me, without hesitation."

Antonia Dell'Atte, the designer's longtime muse, also paid tribute to him: "Two years ago he dedicated an exhibition to me. I told him I was nobody, and he replied, 'Then next time I won't do anything to you.' He was direct, like few others."

Among those in attendance were numerous names from the worlds of sport, culture and politics : Paolo Maldini, Marco Tardelli, Flavia Pennetta, Fabio Fognini, designers Dean and Dan Caten, Rocco Iannone, Antonio Riva, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, composer Ludovico Einaudi, minister Anna Maria Bernini, governor Attilio Fontana, and former prime ministers Matteo Renzi and Mario Monti.

At 6:00 PM yesterday, the doors closed . Shortly afterward, the coffin was carried out to the applause of the employees and the discreet but affectionate presence of his sister Rosanna.

The funeral will be held privately today in Rivalta, in the Piacenza area, Armani's hometown . Giorgio Armani will be laid to rest next to his parents and younger brother. It will be an intimate moment, reserved for the family. "It's incredibly hard," whispered Silvana, the niece who was closest to him in recent years and who now inherits the burden of safeguarding the values of an empire built with sobriety, elegance, and humanity.

(Unioneonline)

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