By Claudia Chieppa, Alex Fraser and Hanna Rantala
MILAN (Reuters) - Former staff at Giorgio Armani's fashion empire joined crowds gathering on Sunday to pay their final respects to the designer who kept Italy at the forefront of global fashion.
The death of Armani at the age of 91 sparked an outpouring of international grief, with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and ordinary people alike.
"We are retired former employees and it was our duty and it was obvious that we would come here because
it was a great privilege and honour to work for him," said Ornella Gagliolo.
"For all of us, he was like a father, that I can tell you," she told Reuters.
Armani died on Thursday after a five-decade career in which he built a business empire spanning haute couture to home furnishing, with his name becoming synonymous with elegant simplicity.
His wooden casket, adorned with white roses, was on display at a vast exhibition space at his company's headquarters in Milan where catwalk shows are held, surrounded by dozens of small lanterns on the floor.
His funeral on Monday will be held privately.
Silvana Armani, one of his nieces who worked alongside him, was among those paying tribute on Sunday.
Giorgio Armani had no children but worked with a trusted group of family members and long-term confidants who are expected to carry on running the business over which he exercised tight control.
(Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
