Legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani dies at 93

Italian fashion icon Valentino Garavani passed away today (Monday) at his home in Rome at the age of 93, surrounded by family and friends. 

Valentino was the founder of the eponymous fashion house that became synonymous with elegance, luxury, and the celebrated “Valentino Red.”

Born in the Lombardy region, Valentino discovered his passion for fashion early on. Encouraged by his mother, he moved to Paris to study under Jacques Fath and later Balenciaga, before returning to Italy in 1959. 

That same year, he opened his fashion house on Rome’s Via Condotti, quickly gaining acclaim for his exquisite designs.

Valentino’s first major show in Florence in 1962 at the Palazzo Pitti marked a breakthrough, attracting orders from high-society figures such as Jacqueline de Ribes, Babe Paley, and Jayne Wrightsman. By the mid-1960s, he was regarded as a master of Italian haute couture.

Throughout the 1970s, Valentino spent significant time in New York, forging friendships with luminaries like Andy Warhol and Vogue editor Diana Vreeland. In the 1980s, he even collaborated with Ford to design a limited line of vehicles. In 1998, he sold the company to a corporation owned by Gianni Agnelli for $300 million.

Valentino retired in January 2008, presenting his final show at the Rodin Museum, where supermodels including Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigová, Claudia Schiffer, and Karolína Kurková returned to walk the runway in his honor.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to the designer, calling him “the undisputed master of style and elegance and the eternal symbol of Italian haute couture. Today, Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations.”

Valentino’s influence on fashion, particularly his signature red dresses and timeless elegance, remains enduring, inspiring designers and fashion enthusiasts around the world.