Rome, Jan 20: Renowned Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at home in Rome, his foundation announced Monday on social media. He was 93.
“Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” the foundation said.
The jet-set Italian designer’s high-glamour gowns — often in his trademark shade of “Valentino red” — were fashion show staples for nearly half a century.
His funeral is set to take place in Rome on Friday.
Born Valentino Garavani, he became known as simply ‘Valentino’ – sharing the name with his eponymous fashion line.
The label is best known for creating ‘Valentino red’ – a dark shade of red that would feature heavily in their dresses.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the first to pay tribute to the designer on social media. She said: “Valentino, undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion. “Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything.”
Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani described him as a “leading figure” of global fashion in a post on X.
His foundation added: “Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision.”
His dresses became a mainstay on Hollywood red carpets – from Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lopez and Cate Blanchett among the stars to have worn him.
Other famous names include Julia Roberts, Princess Diana and former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy – who wore his dresses throughout her mourning period for John F. Kennedy.
He later developed a friendship with Anne Hathaway – even making an appearance in 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada.
Despite retiring almost two decades ago, his fashion line continues to be a staple at award shows.
At this month’s Golden Globe awards actors Hannah Einbinder and Colman Domingo wore outfits bearing his name.
Born in Voghera, northern Italy, the designer first made his name after setting up a fashion house in Paris. He later returned to his home country to set up the fashion house alongside long-time business partner Giancarlo Giammetti.
His works were best known for their opulence, often incorporating vivid colours and ornate designs at a time when much of the fashion world was looking towards minimalist design.
He once famously said: “I know what women want. They want to be beautiful.”
His career stretched from the 1960s through to his retirement in 2008.
Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow paid tribute on social media, saying the news felt like the “end of an era”.
His fail-safe designs made Valentino the king of the red carpet, the go-to man for A-listers’ awards ceremony needs. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001, when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her best actress statue.
Cate Blanchett also wore Valentino — a one-shouldered number in butter-yellow silk — when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2005.
Valentino was also behind the long-sleeved lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968. It caused a sensation in the United States, and in 1970, Valentino was the first Italian designer to open a shop in New York.
Kennedy and Valentino were close friends for decades, and for a spell the one-time US first lady wore almost exclusively Valentino. He was also close to Diana, Princess of Wales, who often donned his sumptuous gowns.
Over the years Valentino would elevate the “Made in Italy” label to global prominence. Beyond his signature orange-tinged shade of red, other Valentino trademarks included bows, ruffles, lace and embroidery; in short, feminine, flirty embellishments that added to the dresses’ beauty and hence to that of the wearers.
Perpetually tanned and always impeccably dressed — “I only like beautiful things,” he told the Italian edition of Elle magazine in 2007 — Valentino shared the lifestyle of his jet-set patrons.
In addition to his 152-foot yacht and an art collection including works by Picasso and Miro, the couturier owned a 17th-century chateau near Paris with a garden said to boast more than a million roses.
UNI XC RN