Valentino Garavani, Iconic Fashion Designer, Dies at 93 in Rome

Valentino Garavani, the Italian fashion designer who built a global luxury brand dressing Hollywood stars and royalty, died on January 19, 2026, in Rome at the age of 93. Born in 1932, he founded the house of Valentino in 1960 and became famous for his bright red gowns and sharp attention to detail in every piece.

Background

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani grew up in Voghera, a town in northern Italy's Lombardy region. From a young age, he fell in love with fashion. He spent hours watching theater and opera performances, drawn to the sparkling evening gowns and sequins on stage. Those early sights shaped his eye for drama and beauty in clothing.

At 17, he left home for Paris with support from his parents. There, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. These schools taught him the fine points of high fashion design. After finishing, he worked as an apprentice for designers like Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. He learned how to cut fabric, embroider details, and create outfits that fit perfectly.

In 1959, Garavani moved back to Rome. He set up a studio on Via Condotti, a street full of high-end shops. His father helped with the money to start, and soon after, he met Giancarlo Giammetti. Giammetti was studying architecture but switched to help run the business side. The two became partners in work and life. Together, they turned the small studio into a full fashion house called Maison Valentino in 1960.

Garavani's big break came in 1962. He showed his first major collection at the Pitti Palace in Florence. The dresses came in his now-famous shade of red. People called it 'Valentino red.' That color stood out against the usual blacks and whites of the time. The show put him on the map with buyers and clients from around the world.

Over the years, his designs mixed old Hollywood style with fresh ideas. He used soft fabrics like silk, lace, and chiffon. Every gown had fine embroidery and clean lines. He dressed actresses like Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Julia Roberts. Royalty wore his clothes too, including Princess Margaret and Jackie Kennedy. His work appeared on red carpets and at state events.

Key Details

Garavani kept designing through the 1960s and 1970s. In 1969, he opened his first ready-to-wear store in Milan. This made his clothes available to more people, not just those who could order custom pieces. By 1970, he had shops in New York and Rome. His brand grew fast.

One key moment came from a trip to Barcelona during his student days. He saw a woman in a red velvet gown at the opera. She stood out in the crowd.

"Enthralled, I saw a woman with grey hair in one of the boxes, very beautiful, dressed in red velvet. Among all the colours worn by the other women, she looked unique, isolated in her splendor. I told myself that if I were ever going to become a designer, I would do lots of red." – Valentino Garavani, recalling the moment to Vogue

That memory led to his love for red. It became the heart of his work, from dresses to accessories.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Valentino expanded. He added menswear and launched lines like Valentino Roma and R.E.D. Valentino for younger buyers. The company hit big sales numbers. By 1998, Garavani and Giammetti sold the business but stayed on to design. In 2007, he stepped back from creative control. Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli took over. They refreshed the brand and pushed sales past $1 billion by 2015.

Final Years and Retirement

Garavani retired fully in 2008 after his last haute couture show in Paris at the Musée Rodin. Models closed the runway in red gowns. Friends like Alber Elbaz and supermodels Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer gave him a standing ovation. A documentary called 'Valentino: The Last Emperor' came out that year. It showed his daily life and drive for perfection.

He received honors like the French Legion of Honour in 2006. He split time between Rome, where he died, and other homes. Giammetti stayed close until the end. The brand now has Pierpaolo Piccioli as sole creative director after Chiuri left for Dior in 2016.

What This Means

Garavani's death marks the end of an era for Italian fashion. He helped put Rome on the map as a design center, alongside Paris and Milan. His red gowns set trends that designers still follow today. Red carpets often feature Valentino looks, from award shows to galas.

The brand lives on with stores in major cities and online sales. It pulls in billions each year from clothes, bags, and shoes. Items like the Rockstud bag, introduced in 2006, remain popular. New collections mix his classic style with modern touches.

Fans and industry leaders remember him for changing how women dress for big events. His work influenced ready-to-wear lines worldwide. Young designers study his shows for lessons in color and cut. Without him, luxury fashion would lack some of its bold glamour.

His passing comes as the industry faces changes like digital sales and sustainable fabrics. Valentino adapts with these shifts while honoring his roots. The house plans tributes, including shows dedicated to his memory. Clients from past decades share stories of fittings and events where his designs shone.

Garavani's life story shows how passion from childhood can build a lasting name. He started with sketches and grew to dress the world's elite. His legacy sits in closets, museums, and runway archives. The fashion world moves forward, but his red shadow stays long.