Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani dies at 93

Italian fashion icon Valentino Garavani, the designer whose refined glamour and signature scarlet gowns defined haute couture for more than half a century, has died at the age of 93. His foundation confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his home in Rome, surrounded by family.

Born in 1932 in Voghera, northern Italy, Valentino trained in Parisian couture houses before returning to Italy to establish his own fashion house in Rome in 1959. From the beginning, his work stood out for its elegance, precision tailoring and romantic sense of drama. One color, in particular, became inseparable from his name: a rich, luminous scarlet that the fashion world came to know simply as “Valentino red.”

In 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti, then an architecture student. Their partnership — professional and, for a time, romantic — proved transformative. Together they built Valentino into a global luxury brand, synonymous with timeless beauty and impeccable craftsmanship.

A designer to queens, stars and first ladies

Valentino’s rise was fueled by an extraordinary roster of clients. Among his earliest famous admirers was Elizabeth Taylor, whom he met while she was filming Cleopatra in Rome. Soon, royalty and society figures followed, including Begum Aga Khan and Queen Paola of Belgium.

Hollywood embraced him just as fervently. Audrey Hepburn, Joan Collins and Jacqueline Kennedy all wore his designs, with Kennedy choosing a Valentino gown for her 1968 wedding to Aristotle Onassis. In later decades, Valentino’s creations became red-carpet staples, worn by generations of stars at the Academy Awards and beyond.

A fixture of global fashion culture

During the 1970s, Valentino spent much of his time in New York, moving effortlessly among artists, editors and socialites. His circle included Andy Warhol and legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. In the 1990s, he became a favorite of supermodels such as Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell, cementing his relevance across eras.

Despite his jet-set life, Valentino cultivated a deeply personal world. Known for his immaculate suits, suntan and perfectly styled hair, he embodied the image of the Italian gentleman. He collected Chinese antiques, adored flowers and topiary, and restored the 17th-century Château Wideville outside Paris. Above all, he cherished his pug dogs, once declaring in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor: “My dogs are more important.”

The end of an era

Valentino sold his company in 1998 but continued designing until his retirement in 2008, marking the occasion with a spectacular show at Paris’s Musée Rodin. Models closed the runway in identical red gowns — a final salute to the color that defined his legacy.

After his departure, the house entered a new chapter under designers including Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli. More recently, creative leadership passed to Alessandro Michele, amid wider changes across the luxury industry.

Tributes poured in from around the world following the news of Valentino’s death. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called him “the eternal symbol of Italian haute couture,” while designers and actors praised his devotion to beauty, craftsmanship and joy. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow fondly recalled his warmth and humor, and the Armani family described him as an “undisputed master of grace and elegance.”

For many, Valentino’s passing marks the close of a golden age in fashion — a time when couture was built on patience, perfection and personality. Asked once whether he believed he was irreplaceable, Valentino answered with characteristic wit: “After me, the deluge.”