MILAN – “Dear Giorgio, the news of your passing has left me speechless. Not long ago, we embraced and expressed the affection we held for one another.” These were the words of Santo Versace as he remembered fashion icon Giorgio Armani on the day of his death.
“When I think of you, I do not think of the rivalry journalists so loved to emphasize, but of the deep respect that always bound us and never faded,” Versace continued. “I think of the early Eighties, when together we were redefining what it meant to be Italian in the world. We were young, full of dreams and that healthy madness only creators can understand.”
“I remember our fashion shows and our discussions on style and collections. You with your essential elegance, Gianni with his exuberant genius, me with my dedication to the numbers. Three different visions, united by the same love for beauty and for Italy. I cannot forget your presence, with your reserved but deeply sincere manner, when Gianni passed away. Now that you too have embarked on this journey of no return, who will remember with me that world where everything was possible? Fashion loses one of its pillars, but I lose a piece of my history, of our history,” he added.
Versace further stated: “Your collections are not simply clothes but silent poems that speak of discreet power, inner elegance, and timeless beauty.”
“Together with Gianni, you created a perfect dialogue between exuberance and minimalism that defined an era. Now you are reunited, you and my beloved brother, up there. I can already imagine your passionate discussions on the most suitable fabric for clouds or the perfect colour for a heavenly sunset.”
“To your family, to all those who walked by your side,” concluded Santo Versace, “I offer my deepest embrace. Your memory will live on forever not only through your masterpieces but through the indelible affection you left in those who, like me, had the privilege of sharing this extraordinary adventure with you. Farewell, dear Giorgio.”
“Tell Gianni I miss him terribly. With a broken heart but full of gratitude for having known you.”
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