Giorgio Armani will be laid to rest in the family chapel alongside his parents and brother on Monday (08 September), with a funeral service held in the small San Martino church

The death of Armani on Thursday at the age of 91 sparked an outpouring of international grief, with tributes flowing in from Hollywood celebrities and ordinary people alike.

His wooden casket, adorned with white roses, was on display over the weekend 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.

The doors to the building slid shut late on Sunday afternoon, and the funeral on Monday will be held privately in northern Italy.

Armani died 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.

He 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.