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But I have deep affection for Leo, who has lived with me for years and is the person closest to me.'
Beyond fashion, Dell'Orco chaired Armani's basketball team, Olimpia Milano, leading them to multiple league titles and cementing his role not just in Armani's personal life but also in his empire.
Love, Legacy and Elegance
Armani's willingness to discuss both Galeotti and Dell'Orco in his later years marked a striking departure from his usual privacy.
Armani revealed he had his first same-sex experience as a young man, and described the deep emotional connections he formed over the years. Fashion Icon Opened Up About The Two Men He Loved in 2024 Interview
Giorgio Armani, the fashion titan who defined global style for decades, has died aged 91. I'm still amazed that I found within myself the resilience to withstand such immense pain.'
He kept working through his grief, often bringing Galeotti photos of fashion shows during his hospital stays.
While the pair are not married, Armani says he wears a “wonderful ring with a diamond”, but he is “indifferent” about labelling just what the relationship is that the two men share.
But the icon designer cites “deep affection” for his long-term partner:
“But I have deep affection for Leo, who has lived with me for years and is the person closest to me.”
Who Was Giorgio Armani's Boyfriend?
'Just to set the record straight', he said, pushing back against speculation about hidden wealth and inheritance, 'I do not have some inheritance or trust fund or whatever, nor do I want one.' For Armani, dignity and resilience mattered more than labels — whether in business or in love.
His empire, worth an estimated £10 billion, remains a testament to his discipline and vision.
Armani says he was left nearly destroyed after his partner’s passing.
“When Sergio died, a part of me died with him, I had to tap into my willpower to deal with all the pain and anguish. It was also about vulnerability, honesty and acknowledging the men who shaped his life.
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At 90, he admitted that time had given him the courage to speak openly about the loves that shaped him.The Pain of Losing Sergio Galeotti
Armani's most profound early relationship was with Sergio Galeotti, whom he met near a nightclub in Versilia.
For Armani, continuing their shared dream was both tribute and survival.
His Later Relationship With Leo Dell'Orco
After years of silence and solitude, Armani eventually found lasting companionship with Leo Dell'Orco, born in Bisceglie in 1952. Armani admitted: 'When Sergio died, a part of me died with him.
The last time he publicly addressed his sexuality was in 2000, when he told Vanity Fair: 'I have had women in my life. A whole year spent next to Sergio in his hospital bed. It was just an attraction, a beautiful thing: you couldn’t wait to be close to him, to have him caress you… a great emotion.”
Remaining silent for a moment, Armani then told the interviewers, “I’ve never told anyone these things, it’s a very emotional memory.”
Giorgio Armani speaks of heartbreak over death of partner Sergio
Much later in his life, Armani began a business partnership with architect Sergio Galeotti, which he says evolved into a decade-long romantic relationship.
“I didn’t understand what it was. He founded his company, Giorgio Armani S.p.A., in 1975 with his longtime business and life partner, Sergio Galeotti. But in 1985, Galeotti died aged 40 from an AIDS-related illness. As tributes pour in for the man who reshaped tailoring and created one of the world's most successful luxury empires, many are looking back to a rare and intimate 2024 interview in which Armani spoke candidly about his sexuality and the men he loved.
For someone so famously private, Armani's reflections provided a moving glimpse into the personal life of a man celebrated worldwide for his elegance and discipline.
Opening Up About Love After Decades of Silence
For nearly 25 years, Armani avoided speaking about his private relationships.
“And it all happened as our career was taking off, when we were becoming known, setting up our company, reaching worldwide fame. Dell'Orco, head of the men's style office at Armani Group and the designer's closest adviser, became his partner and confidant for decades.
Armani, often seen wearing a diamond ring given by Dell'Orco, described their bond with affection but also pragmatism: 'I think it over and realise there's no point in being in love and giving it so little space, because I just don't have that much space.
'I saw Sergio in his car and I immediately fell for his Tuscan smile', Armani recalled in the same interview.
Their romance and business partnership blossomed into one of fashion's most influential alliances.