Although the two never married, Armani proudly wore a diamond ring gifted by Dell’Orco. In interviews, Dell’Orco referred to their connection as a “lifelong partnership,” while Armani acknowledged that, though generally indifferent to love, he had strong affections for Dell’Orco, who lived with him for years.

”I would like the succession to be organic..”

Before his death, Armani had also addressed the succession of his fashion empire, making it clear that Dell’Orco, along with family members like his niece Silvana Armani and longtime team members, would play key roles in the transition.

As he told the Financial Times just days before his passing, “I would like the succession to be organic and not a moment of rupture.”

Through it all, Armani never forgot Sergio Galeotti, the partner who had set him on his path to global fashion stardom, and he cherished Dell’Orco for the unwavering support and love he brought into Armani’s later years.