Valentino Garavani, one of haute couture’s most influential figures, has passed away at the age of 93. The Valentino Foundation confirmed on Monday that the designer, known globally by his first name alone, died peacefully at his home in Rome, surrounded by close friends and family. A public lying in state will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a funeral service in Rome on Friday at 11 am.
The late Valentino was born in 1932 in Voghera, northern Italy, and trained at leading fashion houses across Europe before honing his craft in Paris. In 1960, he returned to Italy to establish his own fashion house in Rome, laying the foundation for what would become one of the world’s most prestigious luxury labels.
Over the decades, Valentino built a reputation for refined, romantic couture that appealed to royalty, Hollywood icons, and society’s elite. His creations were worn by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, and countless film stars. His signature red gowns, in a vivid hue that came to be known as Valentino Red, became a defining symbol of his brand and a staple on red carpets worldwide.
Valentino also designed Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding gown and dressed numerous Academy Award winners, including Sharon Stone and Penélope Cruz. Though his designs often appeared understated, they were marked by meticulous detailing and exceptional craftsmanship.
After building a global fashion empire under his name, Valentino sold the business and retired from active designing in 2008. His legacy, however, continues to influence haute couture, cementing his place as one of fashion’s true legends.
Valentino went on to study couture in Milan and Paris, later apprenticing under renowned designer Jean Dessès. In 1960, he returned to Italy and launched his own fashion house in central Rome.
That same year marked a major turning point when Elizabeth Taylor wore a white Valentino gown to the premiere of the epic film Spartacus, bringing him international attention. Also in 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti at a café in Rome. Giammetti would become not only his lifelong partner but also the business force behind the Valentino brand.
Valentino’s use of flowing georgette, delicate chiffon ruffles and lavish embellishments — notably his signature budellini technique, in which slender strands of sheep’s wool are hand-rolled into tubes, encased in silk and meticulously stitched together — earned him widespread acclaim and numerous honours, including France’s highest civilian award in 2006.
"Fame and fortune didn't change him," Giammetti said at the time. "He is still the little guy I met 45 years ago."
In 2007, Valentino marked his decades-long career with a spectacular three-day celebration in Rome, featuring grand dinners, parties and exhibitions that drew thousands of guests from across the globe. Just months later, he revealed plans to step away from designing for the label, which he no longer owned after selling the company nearly a decade earlier in a deal valued at around $300 million.
"I have decided that this is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion," he said. "As the English say, I would like to leave the party when it is still full."
Valentino’s final runway presentation took place in Paris in January 2008, in the city he often described as his second home and credited with shaping both his love for fashion and his outlook on life. The fashion house carrying his name was later acquired by Qatari investment firm Mayhoola for €700 million in 2012. In 2023, French luxury group Kering purchased a 30% stake, pledging a full takeover from 2026, a plan that was subsequently pushed back to no earlier than 2028.
Even after stepping away from fashion, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti continued to champion the arts. In 2025, their foundation opened the PM23 gallery in central Rome, adjacent to Valentino’s headquarters. Appropriately, the inaugural exhibition, titled Horizons/Red, paid tribute to the colour most famously linked to Valentino’s legacy.
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