Giorgio Armani Passes at 91
Giorgio Armani, the Italian designer whose minimalist tailoring defined the 1980s and reshaped modern fashion, has died at the age of 91. The Armani Group confirmed the news in a statement, noting: “Il Signor Armani, as he was always respectfully and admiringly called by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Indefatigable to the end, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to the company, the collections, and the many ongoing and future projects.” Born in Piacenza in 1934, Armani came to fashion later than most, founding his company in 1975 at the age of 40 with proceeds from selling his Volkswagen Beetle. Within just seven years, he had risen from relative obscurity to the cover of Time Magazine, a recognition of both his talent and his growing influence. His clean-lined, softly constructed suits offered a radical alternative to the stiff tailoring of the era and became a cultural symbol of effortless elegance. Armani’s breakthrough moment came in Hollywood when he dressed Richard Gere in American Gigolo, cementing his reputation as a designer who could capture both glamour and modernity. Throughout the following decades, his work was embraced by actors and celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Adrien Brody, and Leonardo DiCaprio, making Armani a red-carpet fixture and a shorthand for refined sophistication. By the 1990s, his signature relaxed tailoring had become a global phenomenon. Beyond clothing, Armani grew his business into a lifestyle empire. Giorgio Armani S.p.A. expanded into accessories, fragrance, homewares, hotels, and even confectionery, generating revenues of €2.1 billion in 2019 and employing around 8,000 people worldwide. Remarkably, Armani remained the sole shareholder of his company, amassing an estimated personal fortune of $11 billion. As the fashion world prepared to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his house in Milan later this month, news of his passing came as a shock. Funeral services will be held privately in accordance with his wishes, though a chamber for public farewell will be open at the Teatro Armani in Milan on September 6 and 7, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. [Vogue]
Chloe Malle Named Head of Editorial Content at American Vogue
American Vogue has officially entered a new chapter with the appointment of Chloe Malle as its new Head of Editorial Content, following Anna Wintour’s decision to step down as U.S. editor-in-chief after 37 years. Malle, already a familiar voice as editor of Vogue.com and co-host of the podcast The Run-Through, has been central to Vogue’s digital evolution. Under her leadership, the site doubled its traffic, launched playful initiatives like “Dogue” and the Vogue Vintage Guide, and sharpened Vogue’s online presence with culturally attuned coverage. Malle’s history with the magazine stretches back more than a decade. She joined Vogue in 2011 as Social Editor, overseeing wedding and social coverage while contributing widely across fashion, politics, homes and gardens, beauty, and health. She also edited several Vogue books during this period. From 2016 to 2023, she worked as a Contributing Editor, writing features, managing special projects, and serving as a sittings editor. Beyond Vogue, her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, WWD, and more. Her promotion comes with the full support of Wintour, who remains Global Editorial Director of Vogue and Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast, continuing to oversee flagship projects like the Met Gala and Vogue World. In an internal memo, Wintour explained her decision: “When it came to hiring someone to edit American Vogue, letting me turn my attention more intensely to Vogue’s multifaceted growth across its global audiences and publications and events like the Met Gala and Vogue World, I knew I had one chance to get it right. At a moment of change both within fashion and outside it, Vogue must continue to be both the standard-bearer and the boundary-pushing leader. Chloe has proven often that she can find the balance between American Vogue’s long, singular history and its future on the front lines of the new. I am so excited to continue working with her, as her mentor but also as her student, while she leads us and our audiences where we’ve never been before.” [Vogue]
Proenza Schouler Taps Rachel Scott as New Creative Director
Proenza Schouler has appointed Rachel Scott, founder and designer of Diotima, as its new creative director. Audiences will see the first full expression of her vision with the brand’s Fall 2026 collection in February, though her influence will already be felt at the upcoming New York Fashion Week, where she has collaborated with the design studio on Spring 2026 as a consultant. Scott succeeds Proenza Schouler’s founders, Jack McCollough + Lazaro Hernandez, who stepped down in January. The duo has since been confirmed as the new creative directors of Loewe and will present their debut collection for the house in Paris this October. Scott brings an impressive track record to her new role. Since launching Diotima in 2021, the Jamaican-born, New York–based designer has quickly earned industry acclaim, winning the CFDA’s American Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2024, the Emerging Designer of the Year honor in 2023, and the Fashion Trust U.S. ready-to-wear award in 2025. Known for her distinctive take on womenswear rooted in both craftsmanship and cultural narrative, she now steps onto a larger stage with Proenza Schouler. You can revisit our interview with Scott here, where she reflected on Diotima’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection. [WWD]
LVMH Prize 2025 Winners
The 2025 LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers has crowned its winners in Paris, with Japanese designer Soshi Otsuki of Soshiotsuki taking home the top honor. Otsuki, who first appeared on the shortlist in 2016, will receive a €400,000 grant and a year of mentorship from LVMH. His menswear label has been drawing attention for its reinterpretation of oversized tailoring inspired by Japan’s late ’80s Bubble Era, with nods to Armani’s influence, and was recently spotlighted by A$AP Rocky. The award marks a new chapter for the brand, which Otsuki plans to expand into more casual territory. Two additional prizes went to rising London-based talents. Steve O Smith, recognized for his sculptural, sketch-like approach to design, received the Karl Lagerfeld Prize, which comes with €200,000 and mentorship support. He noted the funds will go directly toward strengthening production, including new machinery and staff. Torishéju Dumi, whose work merges tailoring with distinctive handcrafted detail, was awarded the Savoir-Faire Prize, which includes €200,000, mentorship, and an extra €50,000 in embellishments from Maison Vermont for her next collection. Both Smith and Dumi are part of a new guard of London-based designers making waves internationally. This year’s jury featured Jonathan Anderson, Sarah Burton, Nicolas Ghesquière, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, Pharrell Williams, and special guest Deepika Padukone. [WWD]
The BFC 2025 Fashion Awards Nominees
The first wave of nominations is in for the BFC’s 2025 Fashion Awards and this year’s Designer of the Year category is stacked. The list includes Jonathan Anderson (nominated for the third year in a row) and Martine Rose who are going head-to-head with Miuccia Prada, Glenn Martens, Rick Owens, and Willy Chavarria. The British Fashion Council also announced nominees for British Womenswear Designer of the Year, British Menswear Designer of the Year, and introduced the new Vanguard Award that replaces the former New Establishment categories. Standout names throughout the nominations include Sarah Burton, Simone Rocha, Erdem Moralıoğlu, Craig Green, and Grace Wales Bonner. Rising talents such as Steve O Smith and Torishéju Dumi, both fresh off wins at this week’s LVMH Prize in Paris, also made the cut. This year’s ceremony will be the first overseen by Laura Weir, the British Fashion Council’s new CEO. As always, the Fashion Awards double as the organization’s biggest fundraiser, with proceeds supporting scholarships and grants through the BFC Foundation. Unlike in 2024, when many special awards had already been revealed by early September, this year’s nominations are being rolled out more gradually. Additional categories including the Trailblazer Award and the Leader of Change Award are expected to be announced in the coming months. The main event takes place on December 1 at the Royal Albert Hall, with Pandora returning as headline sponsor. Find the full list of nominees here. [WWD]
Stylist Ian Bradley on Finding Glamour in the Everyday
For stylist Ian Bradley, fashion has always been a personal way to see, archive, and celebrate identity. Growing up just outside DC, Bradley grew up styling his grandmother for church, dressing Barbies, and wandering the Smithsonian for inspiration. Nearly 20 years later, his work has appeared in T Magazine, L’Uomo Vogue, W Magazine, and for campaigns with Saint Laurent and Thom Browne. With roots in fine art, Black, and queer culture, Bradley’s styling goes beyond trends and speaks to beauty of the everyday. Models.com contributor Shelton Boyd Griffith sat down with Bradley to discuss his process, personal references, and the enduring power of subtle storytelling. Find the full interview here.
MDC Selects: These Rookies Turn TikTok Scouting Into Careers
From Wes Anderson film buffs to bookworms, this week’s rookies bring more than just good looks. Discover their many stories and talents, with interviews with Rosie Daly, only on Models.com.
And don’t forget the new additions to the Money List here.
