“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,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in her tribute to Giorgio Armani. After having lived up to the ripe old age of 91, the founder of the Italian luxury fashion house breathed his last at his home and “surrounded by his loved ones”. Along with the Italian Prime Minister, renowned celebrities like Richard Gere and Leonardo DiCaprio remembered the legacy that Armani created. His impact and the lives he touched are also causing Kevin Love, from the NBA world, to mourn this fashion icon.

The Utah Jazz star recently took to his official Instagram account to share a post with his 3.5 million followers. He featured the official post put out by the ‘Giorgio Armani’ brand that confirmed the passing of its founder. Kevin Love did not write any additional caption, nor did he add any emojis. Highlighting the post in itself spoke volumes.

Kevin Love has never publicly spoken about any feelings he had towards Giorgio Armani or his fashion brand. However, he is someone whom people can describe as a ‘fashion enthusiast’. From endorsing Banana Republic and going to Ralph Lauren shows to wearing his dad’s University of Oregon jacket at the NBA tunnel and rocking Polar Bear sweaters from time to time, the NBA player prioritizes the art of looking your best by dressing your best.

When ‘Vogue’ questioned him about his fashion sense back in 2016, he stated that “I’m a fan of clothes that combine style and comfort. Glasses, bracelets, and a smaller necklace add some fun to your outfit and showcase your personality”. Therefore, it only made sense that Kevin Love took the chance to have others remember the legacy of another fashion enthusiast whose story is one of going from ‘rags-to-riches’.

The former Cavaliers player might have never publicly expressed any love or admiration he might have had for an Armani suit. However, the president of basketball operations of one of the 4 NBA teams the athlete has represented, sure does.

Pat Riley Once Revealed Why He Wore The Armani Suits As A Coach: “trying to create an image”

As ‘Gentelmen’s Journal’ highlighted, Pat Riley used to steal the limelight back in the 80s from big names like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, etc, thanks to his sharp sense of style. The camera would pan towards the then Los Angeles Lakers head coach, and he would be seen in his iconic custom-tailored dress shirts from Savile Row and the “Seventies and Eighties-defining suits by Giorgio Armani.” The look reportedly played a major role in earning him the moniker of ‘The Godfather of the NBA’.

Pat Riley touched upon his iconic look of the ’80s during an appearance on the ‘LeBatard Show’ earlier this year. During the conversation, the Miami Heat‘s team president admitted that “I tried to do that then, absolutely. I was trying to create, not a brand, but an image of what a coach should look like on the sidelines. And I did”.

In the book ‘Giorgio Armani: Empire of the Senses’, John Potvin discussed Pat Riley and the friendship he shared with the now late fashion icon. As Potvin stated, “His (Riley’s) relationship with Armani was not simply one of respect but of true friendship and admiration. Regardless of the friendship, reports indicate that Riley and his wife Chris receive Giorgio Armani designer clothes worth $125,000 (retail) per year. 80% of Riley’s wardrobe is full of items from the Italian designer’s collections. No other man has benefited from such an explicitly commercial and enduring relationship as Riley”. This friendship helped create Pat Riley into a fashion icon himself, and create a lesson that he hopes others follow too.

“I think all coaches should conduct themselves, if you are running the most important part of building. A multi-billion dollar organization, their frontman has to not only present themselves in a manner that people respect, but in press conferences and everything,” Riley added.

Pat Riley has no known social media accounts, and thereby hasn’t publicly acknowledged his good friend’s passing yet. Whether Riley chooses to release a public statement in the coming days is something that remains to be seen.