Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani, one of Italy’s richest men, has died at the age of 91, an Italian news agency reported, citing Reuters.

He died surrounded by his family, the Armani group announced, quoted by the Daily Mail. 

“In this company, we have always felt part of a family. Today, it is with deep emotion that we feel the void left by the one who created and raised this family with vision, passion, and dedication. But it is in his spirit that we, the employees and family members who have always worked alongside Mr. Armani, are committed to protecting what he built and to continuing to grow his company in his memory, with respect, responsibility, and love,” the fashion company also reads in its statement.

He was born in Piacenza, Italy, on July 11, 1934, to Ugo Armani (an accountant in a transport company) and Maria Raimondi. He has an older brother, Sergio, and a younger sister, Rosanna. While studying at the Leonardo da Vinci Scientific High School in Milan, Armani dreamed of a medical career, especially after reading Archibald Cronin’s novel The Citadel. He enrolled in medicine at the University of Milan, but in 1953, after three years of study, he abandoned his studies and joined the army.