Milan’s Brera Art Gallery became the stage for a historic fashion moment: the unveiling of Giorgio Armani’s final collection, shown just weeks after the legendary Italian designer passed away on September 4, 2025, at the age of 91.

The Spring/Summer 2026 show, part of the house’s 50th anniversary celebrations, was both a tribute and a summation of Armani’s legacy — a masterclass in elegance, refinement, and timeless design.

The front row reflected the gravity of the night. Cate Blanchett, Glenn Close, Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Anna Wintour, Lauren Hutton, Richard Gere with Alejandra Silva, and many more gathered not just for fashion, but to honor a cultural icon.

Armani final collection

Richard Gere- Alejandra Silva (Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

The reunion of Gere and Hutton — 43 years after starring in American Gigolo, the film that catapulted Armani’s softly tailored jackets into cinematic immortality — lent the evening an extra layer of poignancy.

The collection itself was a meditation on light and texture: silhouettes sculpted like sea foam, fabrics shimmering with metallic warmth, every seam and drape a reminder of Armani’s meticulous craftsmanship. Each look felt like a curtain lifting on memory and revelation.

Armani final collection

Lauren Hutton (Robino Salvatore/GC Image)

Just days before, the Brera had also opened Giorgio Armani, Milano, for Love, an exhibition of more than 100 pieces curated by the designer himself, spanning five decades of work. It framed the runway as both a celebration and a farewell, bridging the personal and the universal.

The memories flowed as freely as the fabrics. Gere recalled how those supple Armani jackets shaped his Gigolo character; Hutton smiled at the memory of a pale blue suit that made history. She called Armani “a treasure” whose influence stretched far beyond fashion, fueling Italy’s global reputation.

Armani final collection

Cate Blanchett- Glenn Close (Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)

As stars, collaborators, and admirers applauded, Milan glowed with equal parts glamour and emotion. Armani’s final bow was not just a fashion show — it was a cultural milestone, sealing his place as the designer who defined the elegance of the 20th and 21st centuries. His last collection stands as both legacy and farewell, an indelible moment in fashion history.