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Legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died aged 91 – with the worlds of fashion and showbiz paying tribute to a “giant” and a “master of his craft”.

The Italian billionaire died at home surrounded by his family on Thursday.

“With infinite sorrow, the Armani Group announces the passing of its creator, founder, and tireless driving force: Giorgio Armani,” his fashion house said.

Tributes flood in for Armani – as it happened

“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.”

A funeral chamber will be set up at Milan’s Armani Teatro for people to pay tribute between 9am and 6pm this weekend.

At the end of his autumn-winter show at Milan Fashion Week in January this year. Pic: Reuters
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At the end of his autumn-winter show at Milan Fashion Week in January this year. Pic: Reuters

Armani did not appear at his runway shows in Milan for the first time ever in June as he recovered from an unknown illness.

Only a week ago, when he was interviewed by the Financial Times, he revealed he “oversaw every aspect of the show remotely via video link”.

“My greatest weakness is that I am in control of everything,” he told the newspaper. “Everything you will see has been done under my direction and carries my approval.”

‘A symbol of the best of Italy’

Italy’s President Giorgia Meloni was among the first to pay tribute.

“Giorgio Armani leaves us at 91 years old,” she wrote on X.

“With his elegance, sobriety, and creativity, he was able to bring lustre to Italian fashion and inspire the entire world. An icon, a tireless worker, a symbol of the best of Italy. Thank you for everything.”

At the Royal Academy in London in 2003. Pic: Reuters
Image:
At the Royal Academy in London in 2003. Pic: Reuters

Fellow fashion mogul Donatella Versace followed, saying: “The world has lost a giant today. He made history and will be remembered forever.”

American designer Ralph Lauren said he “always had the deepest respect and admiration” for Armani.

Dame Anna Wintour, who this year stepped down as head of American Vogue after 37 years, said the designer “understood power and attitude and elegance as well as anyone ever has in fashion”.

Julia Roberts, who famously wore Armani menswear to the Golden Globe awards in 1990, shared a picture of the pair together on Instagram with the caption: “A true friend. A Legend.”

American model Cindy Crawford called him a “master of his craft” – while the Italian football world also offered its condolences.

Juventus described him as a “timeless icon of elegance and Italian style”.

Inter Milan, who Armani supported, said he was “an icon of our city, a fashion legend who, with his creativity and elegance, knew how to tell the story of Italianness around the world”.

Legendary film director Martin Scorsese also paid tribute, heralding Armani as “more than a clothing designer”.

“He was a real artist, and a great one – people use the term ‘timeless’ quite often, but in his case it happens to be true,” said Scorsese.

Armani contributed to the wardrobe design for the director’s 1995 film Casino, creating suits for Robert De Niro’s character, Ace Rothstein.

The pair came together again for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), where Armani this time suited up Leonardo DiCaprio.

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‘Colossus’ Armani ‘brought gravitas’ to the fashion industry

‘King Giorgio’

Born in the small northern Italian town of Piacenza in July 1934, Armani originally wanted to be a doctor but changed his mind after a part-time job as a window dresser at a Milan store exposed him to fashion for the first time.

As one of the most influential designers of the 20th century, he is often credited with spearheading red carpet fashion and was planning a major event during Milan Fashion Week this month to mark 50 years of his brand.

He put Italian ready-to-wear style on the map in the late 1970s with his signature ‘Armani suit’ before adapting its classic style for women with the launch of the female ‘power suit’ in the 1980s.

He also dressed Hollywood and music stars, including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, and Lady Gaga.

Read more:
From Gere to Gaga: Armani’s best celebrity looks

With actors Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton in 2003. Pic: Reuters
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With actors Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton in 2003. Pic: Reuters

With Robert De Niro in Milan in 2000. Pic: Reuters
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With Robert De Niro in Milan in 2000. Pic: Reuters

With singer Beyonce in 2003. Pic: Reuters
Image:
With singer Beyonce in 2003. Pic: Reuters

With David Beckham in Milan in 2009. Pic: Reuters
Image:
With David Beckham in Milan in 2009. Pic: Reuters

Armani, or Re Giorgio (King Giorgio) as he was widely known, worked on more than 200 films, most notably earlier in his career on American Gigolo with Richard Gere in 1980.

He was awarded both the French Legion of Honour and Italian Order of Merit for Labour for his contributions to the fashion industry.

With an empire of more than £7.44bn at the time of his death, his work expanded beyond clothes to home furnishings, perfumes, books, flowers, bars, clubs, and restaurants.

He also owned the basketball team EA7 Armani Milan, better known as Olympia Milano.

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Armani sparked controversy in 2015 for comments he made about fashion choices among gay men – and previously in 2009 when his company was forced to settle with the Italian tax authorities over its offshore subsidiaries.

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Police take no further action over Bob Vylan’s London performance

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Police take no further action over Bob Vylan's London performance

Police will take no further action over alleged chants at a Bob Vylan concert in London.

Met Police had launched an investigation after allegations the singer, real name Pascal Robinson-Foster, was heard in footage saying “death to the IDF (Israel Defence League)”.

The footage was filmed at a performance supporting Iggy Pop, 78, at Alexandra Palace in May.

In a video, Mr Robinson-Foster is also alleged to have said: “Death to every single IDF soldier out there as an agent of terror for Israel.”

But the Met Police confirmed they are closing the investigation following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The Glastonbury performance led to a police investigation. Pic: PA
Image:
The Glastonbury performance led to a police investigation. Pic: PA

‘No further action will be taken’

A spokesperson for the force said: “On Wednesday 2 July, officers became aware of footage that appeared to have been filmed at Alexandra Palace in London on 28 May. An investigation was launched into the language used in the footage.

“Early investigative advice was sought from the Crown Prosecution Service who considered a number of potential offences but determined that, based on the information and material available, there would likely be insufficient evidence to take the case forward.

“As a result, officers have decided that no further action will be taken. We recognise the concerns that the footage caused, particularly among many in London’s Jewish communities.

“It emerged during a period where we have seen a concerning rise in antisemitic hate crime.

“We continue to work closely with community representatives to understand those concerns, to ensure the safety and security of Jewish Londoners and to provide reassurance moving forward.”

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It followed footage of Mr Robinson-Foster allegedly leading a chant of “death, death to the IDF” during a BBC live-streamed performance at Glastonbury Festival, in June earlier this year, leading to an investigation from Avon and Somerset Police.

A man, in his 30s, understood to be Mr Robinson-Foster, had voluntarily attended an interview on Monday in relation to the band’s Glastonbury performance, the force said.

Police added the individual was not arrested but an investigation is ongoing.

After the Glastonbury appearance, the group were dropped from a number of festivals.

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Samantha Morton calls for manslaughter charges over deaths of children in care

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Samantha Morton calls for manslaughter charges over deaths of children in care

Actor and director Samantha Morton has said councils who fail to prevent the deaths of children in care should face manslaughter charges.

Warning: This story contains references to suicide.

In a powerful interview with Sky News, the Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning actor and director, who grew up in care, said Britain’s care system needs to be “completely rethought”.

It comes after a Sky News documentary, A Girl Called Nonita, told the story of 18-year-old Nonita Grabovskyte, who died in the care of the state following a catalogue of failures by those responsible for her care.

Nonita took her own life on railway tracks in December 2023, just two weeks after her birthday. She had previously told doctors and social workers that she intended to kill herself as soon as she turned 18. But nothing was done to prevent her death.

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Unseen: A girl called Nonita

“I was a child of the state, just like Nonita,” Morton told Sky News.

“I was put in care at birth until I got the letter to say I was no longer the council’s responsibility. I was kicked out at 16 and put into a homeless hostel.”

After spells of homelessness, she found a local TV actors’ workshop and managed to secure roles that would eventually lead to Hollywood.

But she says she has never forgotten her childhood, which saw her in and out of children’s homes and foster families.

“The lack of care historically is shocking,” she said. “But the lack of care today is worse. Back then, it felt like there was at least some comeuppance.

“The system now is not fit for purpose. It needs root and branch reform. It needs to be completely rethought.”

The young people who grew up in care who have died in England since 2020

2020: 40

2021: 30

2022: 60

2023: 90

2024: 80

Source: Department for Education

The data shows a sharp rise in deaths among care leavers – young adults who have aged out of the care system and are expected to live independently, often with little or no support.

The Department for Education only began collecting data for care leavers aged 22 to 25 in 2023, meaning the true scale of deaths over the past decade is likely to be far higher.

Morton says councils should be held more accountable for the deaths of children in their care, especially if local authority failings contributed to deaths.

Pic: Invision/AP
Image:
Pic: Invision/AP

‘State manslaughter’

“A failure to care has massive consequences,” she told Sky News. “And the consequences are that people like Nonita die. I believe that that is a kind of state manslaughter.

“And individuals who fail to do their job properly should be in a dock.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has told Sky News that deaths of care-experienced young people should “shame us all”.

All deaths of children in the care of the state must be reported to the government via the Child Safeguarding Incident Notification Scheme.

But there are doubts as to whether all deaths are being reported.

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Phillipson: ‘Nonita was failed on so many levels’

‘Shames us as a country’

Ms Phillipson told Sky News she has asked officials to urgently review the process to check for underreporting.

“I’m concerned about serious incident notifications – about making sure we’re receiving all notifications of such incidents taking place,” she said.

“Because it’s only if we know what’s happening, if we fully understand what’s going on in the lives of children, that we as a government, as a country, can provide the support they need.”

Read more from Sky News:
PM vows to fight plots to oust him
Thousands of NHS staff to lose jobs

Ms Phillipson added: “It shames us all as a country that we so badly fail many of the most vulnerable children who’ve experienced such appalling trauma and abuse in their early lives.

“I read every single notification personally – and it always stays with you. Every case is a child or young person who deserved better.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, help, and support is available. You can call Samaritans free on 116 123 anytime day or night. You can also email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org to find support online.

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Sally Kirkland, famous for her Oscar-nominated roles in The Sting and Anna, dies aged 84

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Sally Kirkland, famous for her Oscar-nominated roles in The Sting and Anna, dies aged 84

Sally Kirkland, a former model and Oscar nominated actress known for her roles in films such as Anna, The Sting and JFK has died aged 84.

Her representative, Michael Greene, said Kirkland died on Tuesday morning at a Palm Springs hospice.

Kirkland had been unwell and struggling to cover medical bills after she fractured six bones last year and developed two life-threatening infections. She had also been diagnosed with dementia.

A GoFundMePage that was set up by her friends to help pay for her ongoing treatment had raised over £45,000 ($60,000).

Michael Douglas, left, and Sally Kirkland appear with their best actor Golden Globes for Wall Street and Anna. Pic: AP
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Michael Douglas, left, and Sally Kirkland appear with their best actor Golden Globes for Wall Street and Anna. Pic: AP

Her biggest role was in the 1987 film Anna, as a fading Czech movie star remaking her life in the United States and mentoring a younger actor.

Kirkland won a Golden Globe and earned an Oscar nomination alongside Cher in Moonstruck, Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction, Holly Hunter in Broadcast News and Meryl Streep in Ironweed.

Born in New York City, Kirkland was encouraged to start modelling at age five by her mother, who was a fashion editor at Vogue and Life magazines. Kirkland went on to graduate from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1961.

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An early breakout for the star was appearing in Andy Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful Women in 1964.

Sally Kirkland in 2015. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Sally Kirkland in 2015. Pic: Reuters

Some of her earliest roles were playing Shakespeare parts, including Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Miranda in an off-Broadway production of The Tempest.

She once told the Los Angeles Times: “I don’t think any actor can really call him or herself an actor unless he or she puts in time with Shakespeare.”

Kirkland was also infamous for her nude scenes, often disrobing in films and for social causes. In particular, Kirkland volunteered and advocated for people with AIDS, the homeless and prisoners.

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