Sawt Falasteen - Hometown funeral for Italian fashion legend Giorgio Armani

Only about 60 people were expected at the 3:30 pm (1330 GMT) ceremony, according to local media, at the 14th-century Church of San Martino in Rivalta, south of Milan.

The Armani group said it was a strictly private affair.

Armani died last Thursday aged 91, one of the most famous names in fashion and head of a multi-billion-euro luxury lifestyle business.

Around 15,000 people paid their respects over the weekend when his coffin was put on display for two days at the Armani headquarters in Milan, a group spokesman told AFP.

Armani's shops were due to close Monday afternoon in a sign of respect for the designer, whose understated but exquisitely tailored creations were beloved by Hollywood A-listers.

The area surrounding the Rivalta church was cordoned off for the funeral "for security reasons and to ensure the privacy of the funeral", according to the local association for castles in the region.

It said Armani's remains would be buried in the family chapel in Rivalta, which already houses his mother Maria, father Ugo and brother Sergio.

However, it was not clear if he would be buried Monday, with one local source telling AFP he could be cremated at another location.

Armani was born on July 11, 1934 in nearby Piacenza, although he spent most of his career working in Milan.

He was a regular in the village of Rivalta, with a local restaurant, the Antica Locanda del Falco, recording fond memories of his visits over the decades, including eating their tortelli pasta.

The church dates back to the 14th century, but the first documented mention of the building dates back to 1037, according to local authorities.

It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, a fourth-century bishop known for his opposition to paganism and the founding of monasteries in France.

M.Qasim--SF-PST