Valentino Garavani Dies At 93 Leaving Fashion Legacy

Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian fashion designer whose name became synonymous with elegance and the color red, died on January 19, 2026, at his home in Rome. He was 93. According to a statement posted on his official Instagram page, "Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones." The news marks the end of an era for the fashion world, as tributes pour in from across the globe for a man whose work defined sophistication and timeless style.

Born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, a small town near Milan in the Lombardy region of Italy, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was destined for a life in fashion. As reported by WWD, he was named after the silent film star Rudolph Valentino, inheriting the nickname "the Sheik" from his cinematic namesake. Even as a child, Garavani dreamed of glamour and beautiful people, saying, "Maybe I was dreaming too much of a world of glamour and beautiful people." Those dreams would become reality as he set out to conquer the fashion capitals of Europe.

Valentino’s journey began in earnest when he moved to Paris at the age of 17, shocking his bourgeois parents. He studied at the Berlitz School in Milan to learn French and refined his drawing skills at the Istituto di Moda Santa Marta. In Paris, he attended the prestigious École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, and soon after, worked for renowned houses like Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. By the time he was 26, Valentino had already staged his first collection in Rome on February 28, 1959, in his salons on Via Condotti.

But it was a chance encounter in July 1960 that would change his life forever. Sitting at a bar on Rome’s Via Veneto, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti, who would become his business and life partner for more than 65 years. "That’s when my life changed," Garavani later reflected, according to WWD. The duo’s partnership was the backbone of the Valentino brand, with Giammetti handling business affairs and Garavani focusing on his creative pursuits. "Giancarlo and I understand each other completely," Valentino once told WWD. "Without speaking. But his character is completely opposite to me. I pay no attention to this life. I am always locked in my design studio. I am very grateful to Giancarlo because he hides things from me to keep me in a good mood."

Valentino’s breakthrough came in the early 1960s, with his first major fashion show in 1959 and his brand’s official launch in the early 1960s. He quickly gained international acclaim, winning the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in 1967. His reputation soared when Jacqueline Kennedy chose an ivory georgette and lace minidress designed by Valentino for her 1968 wedding to Aristotle Onassis—a moment that catapulted the designer to global stardom. According to ABC News, he would go on to dress some of the world’s most famous women, including Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Julia Roberts, who wore a vintage Valentino gown when accepting her Oscar for Best Actress in 2001.

Valentino was celebrated for his signature color—Valentino red—and for his exquisite, feminine gowns. Curator Pamela Golbin told WWD, "You can’t tell which dress dates from what period. And what’s so interesting about Mr. Valentino’s work is that he has a red body of work that he started in 1959 and consistently designed through to 2008." Golbin added, "Red not only makes a woman feel sensational, but also she looks sensational. Because in the end, it was always about the woman."

Throughout his career, Valentino remained steadfast in his vision. As he told WWD in 1965, "When a couturier has found his style direction, he should follow it and not try to change. He still has freedom of colors, fabrics and embroideries. Women today want to have a suit they can put on two years from now…nothing is easier to lose than a client who finds the things she buys go out of style rapidly." This timeless approach won him a loyal clientele that included not only celebrities but also high society women from Paris to New York.

His accolades were as numerous as his admirers. Valentino received the Cavaliere di Gran Croce from the Italian government in 1986 and the Cavaliere del Lavoro in 1996 for his contributions to Italian society and entrepreneurship. He was also awarded the Gold Keys to the city of Beverly Hills in 1988, the Knight of the Legion of Honor, and was inducted into the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style in 2009. In 2017, he became the first European fashion designer to enter the American Academy of Achievement Hall of Fame, and in 2025, he and Giammetti were honored with the WWD John B. Fairchild Honor for Lifetime Achievement.

Valentino’s influence extended far beyond the runway. In 1990, together with Elizabeth Taylor, he established the L.I.F.E. charity to support children affected by AIDS, demonstrating his commitment to philanthropy. His later years saw the creation of the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation, which acquired the historic Roman palazzo at 23 Piazza Mignanelli and transformed it into a hub for cultural activities. The foundation’s latest exhibition, "Venus. Valentino Garavani through the eyes of Joana Vasconcelos," opened just days before his passing, featuring a striking collaboration that brought together fashion, art, and social engagement.

Valentino’s personal style was as impeccable as his designs. Always impeccably coiffed and stylishly suited, he was rarely seen without his beloved pug dogs and was known for his glamorous homes in Rome, Capri, New York, London, and Gstaad. His life, as WWD noted, always had a cinematic allure—so much so that he and Giammetti played themselves in the 2003 film "The Devil Wears Prada" and were the subjects of the 2008 documentary "Valentino: The Last Emperor."

The Valentino brand underwent several changes in ownership over the years. In 1998, it was acquired by Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali (HdP) for about $300 million, then sold to Marzotto in 2002, followed by a sale to private equity group Permira in 2007. In 2012, the Qatar-backed Mayhoola group became the brand’s current owner. After a storied 45-year career, Valentino retired from his namesake brand in September 2007, but his legacy continued through creative directors like Maria Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and, most recently, Alessandro Michele, who was appointed in March 2024.

Valentino’s funeral arrangements reflect his stature in Italian culture. He will lie in state at the PM23 palazzo in Piazza Mignanelli on Wednesday and Thursday, with his funeral to be held Friday at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome. The city—and indeed the world—will pause to remember a man who once said, "As a creator, beauty is the most important. Since I was a child I loved the way a dress looks, I admired a great face, a lovely body. I enjoy the beauty in a woman, in a man, in a child, in a painting. Beautiful things are important and make life important."

As the fashion world mourns, Valentino Garavani’s legacy lives on in every elegant silhouette, every stunning red gown, and every woman who ever felt beautiful in his designs.