Italian Fashion Designer Elio Fiorucci Dead at 80

Italian fashion designer Elio Fiorucci died Monday at his home in Milan. He was 80.

The late designer, the son of a slippers merchant had been revolutionizing fashion and retail since the 1960s. He opened his first store in Milan in 1967 which turned Fiorucci into an international label. Within three years he opened more stores in the most important fashion capitals, including London and New York.

Fiorucci stretch jeans was famous for using daring color schemes and wild styles which brought him fame and success in the 1970s and 1980s sparking a worldwide sensation during the "disco years".

Fiorucci who was good friends with personalities like Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Madonna and Jean-Michel Basquiat, organized the opening of the iconic disco music nightclub Studio 54, in 1977. In 1990 he sold his label to a Japanese group Edwin International while in 2003 he launched the "Love Therapy" label.

Fiorucci was married twice and had three daughters. His love for fashion as expression of fun, freedom and natural sexiness will always be remembered.