Valentino Garavani, Fashion Icon to the Stars, Dies at 93 in Rome/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Valentino Garavani, the world-renowned Italian fashion designer, has died at age 93 in Rome. Famed for his luxurious gowns and signature “Valentino red,” he dressed global icons for decades. His legacy continues to define elegance in haute couture.
Valentino Garavani Legacy Quick Looks:
- Renowned Italian fashion designer died in Rome at 93
- Creator of iconic “Valentino red” and feminine couture looks
- Dressed icons like Jackie Kennedy, Julia Roberts, and Princess Diana
- Founded House of Valentino in 1959 in Rome
- Retired in 2008 after 45 years in fashion
- His funeral to be held at Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli
- Known for opulence, elegance, and timeless red carpet fashion
- Lived a lavish lifestyle with partner Giancarlo Giammetti
Valentino Garavani, Fashion Icon to the Stars, Dies at 93 in Rome
Deep Look
Rome- Italy- Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian designer who defined timeless glamour for the world’s elite and turned his signature “Valentino red” into a global fashion symbol, has died at age 93. The announcement was made Monday by his foundation. He passed away peacefully at home in Rome.
“Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision,” the Valentino Foundation wrote in a statement shared on social media.
The designer’s body will lie in repose at the foundation’s Rome headquarters on Wednesday and Thursday. His funeral will be held Friday at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, located in Rome’s central Piazza della Repubblica.
A Legend Known Simply as “Valentino”
Known the world over by his first name, Valentino spent nearly five decades dressing the rich and famous with unmatched elegance and restraint. His clients included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, Julia Roberts, and Queen Rania of Jordan—women he helped make iconic with his meticulously crafted gowns.
“I know what women want,” Valentino once said. “They want to be beautiful.”
Valentino rarely strayed from his classic, feminine aesthetic. While other designers chased trends, he focused on refinement, grace, and the art of dressing. His gowns, often defined by rich fabrics, bows, lace, embroidery, and ruffles, made him a red-carpet favorite and an enduring symbol of elegance.
From the 1960s to his retirement in 2008, Valentino reigned as a master of luxury, dressing generations of royals and A-list stars for their most photographed moments.
Iconic Fashion Moments
His gowns became synonymous with Hollywood’s biggest nights. In 2001, Julia Roberts wore a vintage black-and-white Valentino to collect her Best Actress Oscar, and in 2004, Cate Blanchett stunned in a butter-yellow silk gown by Valentino when she won Best Supporting Actress.
In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy wore a long-sleeved lace Valentino dress to marry Aristotle Onassis, sealing both a friendship and a fashion partnership that would last decades. Princess Diana was also a close confidante and loyal client.
The Designer’s World: Art, Travel, and Roses
Valentino lived as lavishly as his creations. His lifestyle, full of global homes, celebrity guests, and aesthetic perfection, was the stuff of legend. He split time with his business and life partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, between properties in Rome, New York, London, Capri, Gstaad, and a château outside Paris surrounded by reportedly over one million roses.
He traveled aboard his 152-foot yacht and counted Picasso and Miró among the artists in his personal collection. His pugs were constant travel companions.
“When I see somebody … relaxed and running around in jogging trousers and without any makeup, I feel very sorry,” Valentino said in a 2007 interview. “A woman is like a beautiful flower bouquet. She has always to be sensational.”
From Voghera to the World
Born May 11, 1932, in Voghera, northern Italy, Valentino’s passion for beauty and cinema shaped his early dreams. He studied fashion in Milan and Paris, working with designers Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche before opening his own atelier in Rome in 1959.
From the beginning, he was backed by Giammetti, who handled business operations while Valentino charmed the world’s elite. Though initially plagued by financial trouble, the label found success through unwavering luxury and global acclaim.
Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Gina Lollobrigida were early devotees. Influential editors like Diana Vreeland of Vogue also championed the young designer.
Over the years, Valentino grew his brand into an empire that included ready-to-wear, menswear, and accessories, eventually selling it in 1998 to an Italian holding company for a reported $300 million. He remained creatively involved for another ten years.
In 2007, Valentino celebrated his 45th anniversary in fashion with a three-day festival in Rome, culminating in a grand ball at the Villa Borghese gallery. He retired in 2008.
A Lasting Legacy
Throughout his career, Valentino remained a figure of enduring style and quiet perfection. He avoided scandal, embraced beauty, and left behind a fashion legacy that continues through the Valentino brand, one of the most recognized names in haute couture today.
His dedication to making women feel beautiful, confident, and seen lives on in every bow, stitch, and silhouette he created.
Valentino is survived by his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti, and by a global fashion community who continue to be inspired by his vision.
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