Italian fashion has lost a giant with the passing of valentino Garavani, who died today at age 93 in Rome. The designer, famed for his dramatic silhouettes and – particularly – his signature shade of red, dressed some of the world’s most iconic women for over half a century. His foundation announced the death, with planned viewings and a funeral to be held later this week in Rome.
Valentino Garavani, the iconic Italian fashion designer renowned for his signature red and elegant creations, has died. He passed away peacefully at his home in Rome, surrounded by loved ones, his foundation announced.
Fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died, according to a statement released by his foundation. “He passed away today in the serenity of his Roman residence, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones,” the statement read. A viewing will be held at PM23, Piazza Mignanelli 23 in Rome, on Wednesday, January 21, and Thursday, January 22, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome.
Who Was Valentino
Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Pavia, Italy, Valentino developed a passion for fashion nurtured by his parents, Mauro Garavani and Teresa de Biaggi. He studied fashion and French, later moving to Paris to pursue new opportunities. This marked the beginning of a remarkable career that established him as one of the most legendary names in Italian and international fashion. He was best known for creating a particularly iconic shade of red.
In Paris, Valentino worked as an apprentice for Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche before returning to Italy to further his experience with Emilio Schuberth and Vincenzo Ferdinandi. He founded the House of Valentino in 1957 and opened his first atelier on Via Condotti in Rome in 1959. The early years were challenging, with initial investors withdrawing their support, but a turning point came with the partnership of Giancarlo Giammetti, an architecture student Valentino met at a Rome café in 1960. Their collaboration would last a lifetime.
Throughout his long career, Valentino dressed many prominent figures in international high society, notably developing a long-standing relationship with Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis beginning in 1964, as well as Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, and Linda Evangelista. Valentino Garavani stepped down from leading his fashion house in 2007. In July 2012, the house was sold to Mayhoola for Investments of Qatar, and in 2023, the Kering Group acquired a 30% stake in the Valentino Group for €1.7 billion. In 2016, he and Giammetti established the Valentino Foundation, dedicated to philanthropic endeavors.
Approfondimento
The Life and Legacy of Valentino
