The late Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away at the age of 91, is being remembered for his generosity and enduring connection to Antigua and Barbuda.

A longtime friend and business partner, Jeff Hadeed, talked to Antigua.news about Armani’s contributions to the twin-island nation over the past two decades.

“He donated US$150,000 to help rebuild the airport in Barbuda,” Hadeed recalled, referencing Armani’s support following Hurricane Irma.

Armani, who visited Antigua twice a year for the past twenty years, maintained a private residence at Galley Bay Heights.

Hadeed described the designer’s love for privacy, saying, “He has been very private for the most part in his visits here. Apart from the beauty of his home and the country, he was just happy that he was given his privacy here.”

Hadeed also praised Armani’s dedication to his staff. “He had a team of staff that he respected and looked after throughout the years. He was good to them. During Covid-19, he paid all his staff even when they were out of work.”

He said he will remember Armani not just as someone he worked for, but a genuine friend.
“I worked with him for 20 years. He was a very kind and honorable person. It was an honor for me to represent a global icon. We developed a friendship. I got to know his family and they were always respectful and kind to my family. Often when I would be in Italy, he always invited me to his home, and I was always a guest at his home,” he told Antigua.news.

Globally, Armani was one of the biggest names in fashion, combining creative design with business expertise.

His company generated some 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in annual turnover. Known as “Re Giorgio” in Italy, he was famed for overseeing every detail of his collections, including advertising and runway preparations.

Armani had been unwell and missed Milan’s Men’s Fashion Week in June for the first time in his career.

A funeral chamber will be set up on Saturday and Sunday in Milan, followed by a private funeral at a later date.