Armani Turns 50! And Cate Blanchett and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Lead a Starry Celebration in Venice

Armani is turning fifty—an age that, in fashion years, is nothing short of a milestone. To mark the occasion, what could be more fitting than a journey through its own glorious past? But don’t expect anything melancholy or nostalgic—that’s never the case with the famously brisk and pragmatic King Giorgio, who, at 91, keeps the open spirit and curiosity of a teenager. The house has flung open the doors of the treasure trove of its archives, remastered through a sleek digital lens, granting a global audience unprecedented access to half a century of timeless style.

Armani/Archivio, a vast digital repository of thousands of original looks from Giorgio Armani’s women’s and men’s collections (soon to be joined by a physical space near Milan), went live over the weekend. Employees of the Armani Group will have full access, while the public is invited to explore an inaugural selection of 57 looks. The project also revives and celebrates iconic pieces from historic collections: a series of carefully preserved garments, chosen for their enduring relevance, is reintroduced to engage new generations of admirers. After Venice, where they were displayed at the local Armani boutique with a dedicated cocktail reception, these pieces will travel the world through a series of store presentations.

As announced, the 50th-anniversary celebrations will culminate during Milan Fashion Week with the opening on September 24 of an exhibition at the Pinacoteca di Brera, presenting 150 Giorgio Armani looks in dialogue with the museum’s artworks. The week will conclude with a runway show in the Courtyard of Honour at Palazzo Brera, unveiling the Giorgio Armani Women’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection alongside select men’s looks from June’s presentation.

Last night, the house unveiled its Armani/Archivio platform during the Venice Film Festival with all the flair of a premiere, trading the red carpet for a dinner benefiting UNICEF’s Global Humanitarian Thematic Fund at Venissa, the Michelin-starred haven on the romantic island of Mazzorbo. The setting was pure Italian cinema: an elegant, secluded lagoon; shimmering Murano glass; soft candlelight.

The guest list sparkled like a star chart: when Armani calls, constellations show up. Armani has long been Hollywood’s most reliable supporting role, ensuring that every arrival on the red carpet is scored for a paparazzi frenzy. Last night’s lineup only confirmed that the film industry’s devotion to Armani isn’t a passing crush but a decades-spanning romance. Cate Blanchett, Rashida Jones, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Greta Bellamacina, among others, enjoyed an inventive menu by Michelin-starred duo Chiara Pavan and Francesco Brutto, who practice a kind of sustainable alchemy with herbs and delicacies sourced from the Venetian lagoon. Dinner, of course, was only Act I: the glitzy flock later migrated to Tesa 113 at Venice’s Arsenale, where the dancing went on until the hours when only seagulls and insomniacs are awake.