Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani, whose elegant evening gowns defined glamour for generations, has died at the age of 93, his foundation confirmed.
Born in 1932 in the northern Italian town of Voghera, Valentino — known worldwide simply by his first name — honed his craft in Parisian haute couture ateliers before launching his own label in Rome in 1959. He quickly became celebrated for his striking red dresses, a shade so iconic it earned the nickname “Valentino red” within the fashion industry.
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In 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti, then a young architecture student, who became his lifelong business partner and, for 12 years, his romantic companion. Together, they built Valentino SpA into a brand recognised across the globe for elegance and refinement.
Valentino’s early clientele included some of the most glamorous women of the era. Elizabeth Taylor, filming Cleopatra in Rome, was among his first celebrity admirers. Other early patrons included Begum Aga Khan, Queen Paola of Belgium, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Collins, and Jacqueline Kennedy, who famously wore a Valentino gown to marry Aristotle Onassis in 1968.
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His influence endured across decades. Valentino spent much of the 1970s in New York, moving in a glittering circle that counted Andy Warhol and Vogue editor Diana Vreeland among his friends. By the 1990s, he had become a favourite of supermodels including Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell.
Valentino’s designs frequently graced the red carpet, cementing his place in popular culture. Notable Oscar moments included Jane Fonda’s beaded gown in 1981, Julia Roberts’ vintage black-and-white ensemble in 2001, Jennifer Lopez’s pastel mint caftan-style gown in 2003, and Cate Blanchett’s sunshine yellow creation in 2005. In 2002, Anne Hathaway walked the red carpet in an ornate Valentino gown, accompanied by the designer himself.
