Valentino Garavani attends the Valentino show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2017.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
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Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
Italian fashion designer Valentino passed away at the age of 93 at his Roman residence on Monday.
The news of his death was announced by his foundation on Instagram.
Known as an “international arbiter of taste” by Vogue, Valentino’s designs were worn by prominent women at various events, from funerals to red carpet appearances. His clientele included icons like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis, Anna Wintour, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Zendaya.
Valentino was synonymous with style and luxury, often sporting crisp suits and a sun-kissed complexion. His love for glamour and inspiration from Hollywood stars shaped his iconic fashion aesthetic.
“I love a beautiful lady, I love a beautiful dog, I love a beautiful piece of furniture. I love beauty, it’s not my fault,” he once said in The Last Emperor, a documentary about his life.
In the realm of haute couture, Valentino championed sophistication, elegance, and traditional femininity through his designs, most notably his vibrant red color. His creations exuded romance, luxury, and an aristocratic lifestyle.
Born Valentino Garavani, he was named after the silent movie star Rudolph Valentino. Raised in Voghera, Italy, he developed a taste for the finer things in life from a young age, thanks to his parents’ support and encouragement.
After learning sewing from his Aunt Rosa in Lombardy, Valentino moved to Paris to pursue a career in fashion, eventually establishing his couture studio in Rome.
Valentino’s success can be attributed in part to his partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, his former lover turned business collaborator. Together, they founded the Valentino Company in 1960 and expanded it into a global fashion empire.
Although their romantic relationship ended when Valentino was 30, they remained close friends and business associates. Giammetti’s business acumen complemented Valentino’s creative vision, leading to the brand’s enduring success.
“Valentino has a perfect vision of how a woman should dress,” Giammetti once said. “He looks for beauty. Women should be more beautiful. His work is to make women more beautiful.”
In 1998, they sold the Valentino company for nearly $300 million, and the brand continued to thrive, generating $1.36 billion in revenue in 2021.
Even after retiring in 2008, Valentino remained involved in fashion, creating dresses for opera productions and leaving a lasting impact on the industry.
Valentino’s influence extended beyond the runway, with his iconic “V” monogram adorning a range of products, from clothing to accessories, embraced by fashion enthusiasts worldwide.
