Hundreds paid their last respects to late Italian designer Giorgio Armani on Saturday, remembered by Milan’s mayor as a man who left an indelible mark on the city and the global fashion world.

Two hours after the doors opened, the line of mourners stretched down the block.

The public viewing will continue through Sunday. Armani will be buried following a private funeral, details of which remain private.

Armani died on Thursday at his home in central Milan surrounded by loved ones.

His fashion house said he worked up to the end.

One of his final projects was a runway show marking 50 years of his signature Giorgio Armani brand, which is due to close Milan Fashion Week later this month.

Mourners filed the Armani Theater, where Armani regularly showcased his ready-to-wear runway collections.

Rows of candles in paper bags cast a shimmering light and piano music by Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi played softly in the background.

The closed coffin was adorned with a bouquet of long-stem white roses, and flanked by Carabinieri honor guards in ceremonial dress.

Among them was including Donatella Versace, who wore a dark skirt suit and carried a bouquet of white flowers, which she left in tribute. She left without making any remarks.

A sculpture featuring a crucifix on a block of marble stood nearby, brought from Armani's bedside.

Armani, who was deeply private, was not known to be a practicing Catholic, but a priest who emerged from his central Milan home after his death told reporters he attended Mass daily.

Condolences have poured in from friends and admirers around the world, including Ralph Lauren, Julia Roberts, Anna Wintour and Leonardo DiCaprio.

AP video by Brian Hendrie