The world of fashion was in mourning on Monday following the death of Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre'.
Known in the trade as the 'architect of fashion', Ferre' rose to fame as the chief designer at the French maison Christian Dior from 1989 to 1996, when he left to dedicate his talents to his own line.
Ferre', who would have turned 63 this August, died from the complications of a massive brain hemorrhage he suffered on Friday.
Ferre' was warmly remembered by his colleagues. Giorgio Armani said he was "a civilized man. I will remember him for his sense of dignity, calm and responsibility".
Valentino observed that Ferre' was "one of the greatest talents in Italian fashion and one of the sweetest and reserved people in the world of fashion".
Donatella Versace was shocked by Ferre's death and said "I am very sad. Ten years ago I lost a brother (Gianni Versace) and today I lose a friend. He was a true gentleman who created forms, a fashion which was both grandiose and impeccable at the same time".
Born in the town of Legnano, outside Milan, Ferre' began his career in the 1970s designing belts, costume jewelry and other fashion accessories.
He earned his title of 'architect of fashion' because of the degree in architecture he earned at Milan's Polytechnic Institute and the structured style of his creations.
Ferre' began designing clothing at the Sangiorgio rainwear company in Genoa. It was during this period that he developed the two most important relationships of his life: with Rita Airaghi, a cousin who left teaching and became his alter ego; and with Franco Mattioli, a clothing manufacturer from Bologna who became his partner for 25 years, from 1975 to 1999.
Together with Mattioli, Ferre' created his own fashion house in 1978 and began by designing ready-to-wear lines for women which earned him international recognition.
In 1989 he was called in to be the chief designer at Dior, taking the place of Marc Bohan, and became the maison's first non-French designer.
Any doubts over the choice of Ferre' to design for Dior were erased when he presented his first collections with their simple yet grandiose structures.
After eight years at Dior, Ferre' decided to dedicate his full attention to his own fashion house, which was now producing men's fashion as well as a number of accessory products, including eyewear in collaboration with Marzotto.
The Ferre' group later suffered some financial setbacks and in 2002 It Holding bought 90% of the group with the designer retaining a 10% stake and remaining as chairman and chief artistic director.
In recalling Ferre', designer Roberto Cavalli observed that he had "represented the highest level of style, craftsmanship and creative mastery. He was a true artist, a pure, beautiful person who will be greatly missed in the world of fashion".
