Italian fashion has lost one of its most enduring icons. Valentino Garavanithe legendary couturier whose name became synonymous with elegance, drama and uncompromising beauty has died at the age of 93. His death marks the end of an era, not only for haute couture, but also for a generation of designers who defined fashion as spectacle, discipline and art. For more than sixty years, Valentino Garavani defined what glamor looked, moved and felt like, dressing some of the most powerful and photographed women in modern history.
From Rome to Paris, New York to Hollywood, Valentino built a universe where beauty was paramount and excess was unapologetic. His death closes the chapter of a life of operatic intensity: a life filled with art-filled palazzos, legendary parties, red carpet triumphs and a special dedication to craft. Few designers achieved his level of cultural reach while remaining so fiercely loyal to a personal aesthetic. As tributes pour in from across the fashion world, one thing is clear: he was a symbol of fashion’s imperial age.
Valentino Garavani dies at 93, leaves Fashion’s ‘Last Emperor’
Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani, whose elegant evening gowns were a favorite of some of the world’s most glamorous women for decades, has died at the age of 93, according to his foundation.https://t.co/MzMAKpkKC3 pic.twitter.com/h3bXzn1W02
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2026
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani died peacefully at his residence in Rome, according to a statement from his foundation. At the time of his death he was surrounded by family. The news has resonated across the global fashion industry and prompted an outpouring of tributes from designers, cultural leaders and political figures who recognized Valentino Garavani as one of Italy’s greatest creative exports.
Often described as the ‘last emperor’ of fashion, Valentino Garavani outlived many of his contemporaries, including Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld. Women’s Wear Daily famously crowned them with the nicknames: Yves de Koning, Karl de Kaiser and Valentino de Chic, but it was the 2008 documentary “Valentino: the last emperor” that confirmed his mythical status. Although he shuddered at the title, his life of grandeur, discipline and ceremony seemed to justify it.
A life full of grandeur, art and legendary celebrations
Valentino Garavani lived as extravagantly as he designed. His homes include a palazzo in Rome’s Piazza Mignanelli, a villa on the Via Appia, a mansion in London, a penthouse in New York, a chalet in Gstaad and the Château de Wideville outside Paris. His 50-metre yacht, the TM Blue One, was a familiar sight in the Mediterranean, emblematic of a lifestyle that matched the drama of his couture.
His celebrations were equally legendary. From his 50th birthday party at Studio 54, where he played ringmaster in a Fellini-esque circus, to multi-day anniversary extravaganzas against the ruins of ancient Rome, Valentino Garavani understood fashion as theater. His 45th anniversary celebration in 2007, staged at the Colosseum and bathed in Valentino red, became an unforgettable symbol of pre-financial crisis excesses.
The creative and romantic partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti
The core of Valentino Garavani’s success was his collaboration with Giancarlo Giammetti, whom he met in Rome in 1960. Their relationship, romantic for twelve years and professional for more than fifty, remains one of fashion’s greatest love stories. Giammetti led the company with precision, while Valentino Garavani focused on creation, together transforming a struggling atelier into a global luxury house.
Although they eventually parted as lovers, their bond endured. They became godparents together, vacationed as a family with close friends, and were living proof that art and commerce could coexist when built on trust and dedication. Without Giammetti, Valentino Garavani might not have survived his early financial troubles; without Valentino, Giammetti would not have helped build one of the most recognizable names in fashion.
The distinctive style and power of Valentino Red
Fashion mourns the loss of Valentino Garavani. The Roman couturier, master of timeless elegance and creator of the iconic Valentino red, has died at the age of 93, surrounded by loved ones.
His legacy transcends trends. Grace was his signature.
Addio, Maestro.🕊️ #LisLove #Valentine pic.twitter.com/PWX72cUlK5— Lis Lopes (@lislopees1) January 19, 2026
Valentino Garavani, a master couturier, was revered for his impeccable cuts, luxurious fabrics and unparalleled eveningwear. His double-sided coats and suits exuded technical brilliance, while his gowns embodied a vision of femininity that demanded attention. ‘A woman should make heads turn when she enters a room’ he said famously.
Central to that vision was his signature shade: Valentino red. Inspired by a teenage encounter with the opera “Carmen in Barcelona,” the color became his talisman. From his very first collection, Valentino Garavani made sure there was always at least one red dress: for luck, for impact, for legacy. Fashion editor Diana Vreeland once declared of his gowns, “They must lift the dead.”
From Voghera to Paris: The Making of a Couturier
Born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, Italy, Valentino Garavani showed an obsession with beauty from childhood. Supported by indulgent parents, he left for Paris at the age of 18, where he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts and later at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Internships at Jean Dessès And Guy Laroche refined his understanding of matter and form and prepared him for independence.
In 1959, Valentino Garavani returned to Rome and opened his studio on Via Condotti. Early customers included Elizabeth Taylorr, but international fame followed after his show in Florence in 1962 and, shortly afterwards, his association with Jacqueline Kennedy. Her decision to wear Valentino designs, including for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis in 1968, enhanced his worldwide reputation almost overnight.
A global brand and a graceful farewell
A huge loss for the fashion world💔
Rest in peace #ValentinoGaravani 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/X7lCvA96pd— Anne Hathaway (@AnneeJHathaway) January 19, 2026
Over the decades, Valentino Garavani has dressed royalty, actresses, supermodels and modern celebrities Audrey Hepburn Unpleasant Anne Hathaway, Naomi Campbell Unpleasant Zendaya. His presence on the red carpet became a benchmark for elegance. In 1998, he sold the company for approximately $300 million, learning the complexities of business ownership before announcing his retirement in 2007.
His last couture show in 2008 was a triumph and ended with a procession of identical red Valentino dresses. After retirement, Valentino Garavani returned to drawing for pleasure, tending his gardens and contemplating a career celebrated by exhibitions and awards around the world. Still, questions about the legacy remained. Was he the last of his kind?
Perhaps Valentino Garavani himself answered it best, with characteristic humor and self-awareness: “I like beauty. It’s not my fault.” With his death, fashion loses not only a designer, but also an idea of beauty that lives without apology.
Featured image: Patrick Demarchelier
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