Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian designer whose name became synonymous with elegance and red-carpet perfection, has died at his home in Rome at the age of 93. For decades, his refined, romantic creations dressed the world’s most famous women and set the standard for classic glamour.
The Designer Who Dressed the World’s Most Famous Women
Known simply as Valentino, he built a career on an instinctive understanding of how women wanted to look and feel. His gowns, often crafted in his signature “Valentino red,” became staples at major events, earning him a reputation as the undisputed king of the red carpet.
From Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Diana, Princess of Wales, to Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and Queen Rania of Jordan, Valentino’s client list read like a roll call of global icons. His designs were never about shock or provocation; instead, they offered certainty, beauty and confidence. Julia Roberts famously wore a vintage Valentino gown when she accepted her Oscar in 2001, while Blanchett chose one of his silk creations for her 2004 Academy Award win.
“I know what women want,” Valentino once said. “They want to be beautiful.” That philosophy guided a career remarkably free of fashion missteps, built on bows, lace, embroidery and exquisitely feminine details.
From Cinema Dreams to Couture Royalty
Born on May 11, 1932, in the northern Italian town of Voghera, Valentino often credited his childhood love of cinema for inspiring his obsession with beauty and style. After studying fashion in Milan and Paris, he honed his craft in the 1950s working for Jean Desses and Guy Laroche before opening his own fashion house on Rome’s Via Condotti in 1959.
His rise was swift. Italian film stars such as Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren embraced his designs, followed by Hollywood royalty including Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Influential Vogue editor Diana Vreeland also became an early supporter, helping propel Valentino onto the international stage.
A Life of Luxury and Lasting Influence
Valentino lived much as his clients did — surrounded by beauty, art and refinement. With homes across Europe and the United States, a vast art collection, a grand chateau near Paris and a yacht, he shared his life with longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti and a circle of high-profile friends.
His fashion empire expanded well beyond couture to include ready-to-wear, menswear and accessories. In 1998, Valentino and Giammetti sold the company for an estimated $300 million, though the designer remained creatively involved until his retirement in 2008.
Valentino’s legacy has been celebrated in major museum exhibitions and in the acclaimed documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, which chronicled his farewell to fashion. In a tribute shared online, his foundation described him as “a source of light, creativity and vision.”
His body will lie in repose at the foundation’s headquarters in Rome on Wednesday and Thursday. His funeral will be held on Friday, January 23, at 11:00 at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome — a final farewell to a man who made elegance his life’s work.
