Giorgio Armani designed iconic Jose Mourinho suit and overcoat which sold for five figures
Legendary designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, leaving an impact across the world, and even on football. One of the most famous fashion designers to ever live, Armani’s death was headline news across the globe, particularly at home in Italy. Armani passed away aged 91 surrounded by his familyAFP The designer had a big impact on football, especially at Stamford Bridge.Getty It was in fact in Milan where he had arguably his biggest impact on football having met one Jose Mourinho there. Mourinho’s wife Tami bought him an overcoat from the designer in response, and it went on to become one of the Premier League’s most recognisable pieces of clothing. During a time when most managers wore a suit and tie, Mourinho arrived at Chelsea and put his accessory over his blazer, receiving chants of ‘That coat’s from Matalan’ from rival supporters. However, their smiles were soon wiped away as the Portuguese coach kept up his Champions League winning-promise from Porto by lifting the Premier League in style, conceding just 15 goals. Asked about his coat, he explained: “People say I only have one coat and that it must be a lucky charm which is why I don’t change it. “But it’s not true – I just love this coat. It’s warm and soft because it has a high percentage of cashmere in it. “I chose it – nobody imposed it on me. It wasn’t given to me by a sponsor. It’s not official club clothing but it’s nice and long and I can remove it for interviews and display my official Chelsea blazer underneath. “I’ve had other coats sent to me but I don’t want to change out of this one. Maybe I will when the gentle spring arrives. But if anyone wants to buy it, they will have to pay me a lot of money.” As it turned out, Mourinho put the coat up for auction at the end of the season, and it did in fact make ‘a lot of money’. At a Stamford Bridge charity event to raise funds for Tsunami Relief, Mourinho’s Armani overcoat was on the lot, and he was so desperate to keep it that he bid £15,000 himself. Some fans mocked Mourinho’s overcoat, but it ended up selling for a massive £22,000Getty Mourinho reunited with the designer over at InterGetty Yet much to his frustration, an unknown bidder ended up taking his ‘lucky coat’ for £22,000. Mourinho would return to Milan in 2008 with Inter and again he crossed paths with one of the city’s most famous sons in Armani, and bought one of his suits. For his second season in 2009/10, Mourinho’s tailored Armani suit became a staple, and a key image from one of football’s most impressive feats. The Portuguese won a European treble with the Serie A side, famously running onto the Camp Nou pitch in his suit after beating a Barcelona side where he started his career. Lifting the title in Madrid with a final victory over Bayern Munich, Mourinho was snapped up by the owner of the stadium – Florentino Perez. Landing at the Bernabeu permanently, he opened up on his fashion choices after becoming a model for Braun razors. Mourinho celebrating in his Armani suit with Inter is one of football’s great iconic imagesGetty There are more too, with the Italy national team wearing his suitsGetty David Beckham and wife Victoria also modelled for the Italian designerGetty Mourinho said goodbye to Armani and winning the Champions League “This season I’m going in a different direction,” he said. “I’m not going to wear a suit to the matches – I’m going very casual. “When I started wearing a suit and a tie to games, not many others did, but certainly ten years later everybody does. So now I’m wearing casual trousers. I think that other people will follow.” Mourinho lost some of his magic as his Madrid stint went from bad to worse, and even with another English title upon his return to Chelsea, it seemed like he wasn’t the same man as the one famed for his ‘lucky coat’. Armani luck continued in Naples However, elsewhere the Armani spell kept going, with Napoli signing a deal to manufacture their kits in 2021. A season later they won their first Serie A crown in 33 years, and followed it up with another last term. Napoli have already paid tribute, and more will continue to flood in for Armani, likely from Mourinho, and maybe even Chelsea too for the small part he played in their transformation into one of football’s grandest clubs. Napoli’s only two titles without Diego Maradona came after they started wearing Armani kitsGetty

Legendary designer Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91, leaving an impact across the world, and even on football.
One of the most famous fashion designers to ever live, Armani’s death was headline news across the globe, particularly at home in Italy.
It was in fact in Milan where he had arguably his biggest impact on football having met one Jose Mourinho there.
Mourinho’s wife Tami bought him an overcoat from the designer in response, and it went on to become one of the Premier League’s most recognisable pieces of clothing.
During a time when most managers wore a suit and tie, Mourinho arrived at Chelsea and put his accessory over his blazer, receiving chants of ‘That coat’s from Matalan’ from rival supporters.
However, their smiles were soon wiped away as the Portuguese coach kept up his Champions League winning-promise from Porto by lifting the Premier League in style, conceding just 15 goals.
Asked about his coat, he explained: “People say I only have one coat and that it must be a lucky charm which is why I don’t change it.
“But it’s not true – I just love this coat. It’s warm and soft because it has a high percentage of cashmere in it.
“I chose it – nobody imposed it on me. It wasn’t given to me by a sponsor. It’s not official club clothing but it’s nice and long and I can remove it for interviews and display my official Chelsea blazer underneath.
“I’ve had other coats sent to me but I don’t want to change out of this one. Maybe I will when the gentle spring arrives. But if anyone wants to buy it, they will have to pay me a lot of money.”
As it turned out, Mourinho put the coat up for auction at the end of the season, and it did in fact make ‘a lot of money’.
At a Stamford Bridge charity event to raise funds for Tsunami Relief, Mourinho’s Armani overcoat was on the lot, and he was so desperate to keep it that he bid £15,000 himself.
Yet much to his frustration, an unknown bidder ended up taking his ‘lucky coat’ for £22,000.
Mourinho would return to Milan in 2008 with Inter and again he crossed paths with one of the city’s most famous sons in Armani, and bought one of his suits.
For his second season in 2009/10, Mourinho’s tailored Armani suit became a staple, and a key image from one of football’s most impressive feats.
The Portuguese won a European treble with the Serie A side, famously running onto the Camp Nou pitch in his suit after beating a Barcelona side where he started his career.
Lifting the title in Madrid with a final victory over Bayern Munich, Mourinho was snapped up by the owner of the stadium – Florentino Perez.
Landing at the Bernabeu permanently, he opened up on his fashion choices after becoming a model for Braun razors.
Mourinho said goodbye to Armani and winning the Champions League
“This season I’m going in a different direction,” he said. “I’m not going to wear a suit to the matches – I’m going very casual.
“When I started wearing a suit and a tie to games, not many others did, but certainly ten years later everybody does. So now I’m wearing casual trousers. I think that other people will follow.”
Mourinho lost some of his magic as his Madrid stint went from bad to worse, and even with another English title upon his return to Chelsea, it seemed like he wasn’t the same man as the one famed for his ‘lucky coat’.
Armani luck continued in Naples
However, elsewhere the Armani spell kept going, with Napoli signing a deal to manufacture their kits in 2021.
A season later they won their first Serie A crown in 33 years, and followed it up with another last term.
Napoli have already paid tribute, and more will continue to flood in for Armani, likely from Mourinho, and maybe even Chelsea too for the small part he played in their transformation into one of football’s grandest clubs.