The world of high fashion has lost one of its last true emperors. Valentino Garavani, the Italian maestro whose mononym and signature shade of red defined elegance for decades, passed away on Monday. He was 93 years old.
The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. A statement posted on the designer's personal Instagram account and that of his foundation confirmed he died at his home in Rome, surrounded by loved ones. The announcement outlined plans for a public lying in state and a funeral to be held on Friday at Rome's Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.
A Flood of Tributes for a Master of Style
News of his passing prompted an immediate outpouring of respect and remembrance from global leaders and the fashion industry. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed him as an "undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion." She noted that while Italy has lost a legend, his legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
The sentiment was echoed across social media, where figures like former Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli expressed heartbreak with a simple broken-heart emoji beneath the official announcement.
Dressing Icons and Defining an Era
Known universally as Valentino, the designer clothed the world's most famous women for over half a century. His clientele included Hollywood royalty like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, and Anne Hathaway. However, it was his association with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis that cemented his status in fashion history.
Following President John F. Kennedy's assassination, the former First Lady purchased six Valentino dresses. She later chose a Valentino gown for her 1968 wedding to Aristotle Onassis, an endorsement that launched the designer into the stratosphere of global fame.
His design philosophy was famously straightforward. "I know what women want," he declared in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor. "They want to be beautiful."
From Pop Culture to a Poignant Farewell
Valentino's influence extended far beyond the runway. He made memorable cameo appearances as himself in films like The Devil Wears Prada and was the subject of the aforementioned documentary, which showcased his glamorous life and beloved pugs.
In 2007, true to his belief in leaving at the peak, Valentino announced his retirement. "I would like to leave the party when it is still full," he told The New York Times. His final haute couture show in Paris in January 2008 was an emotional event for the stars in attendance. Actress Blake Lively admitted to crying, while Uma Thurman praised him as "one of the most elegant designers of our time."
Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in 1932, he trained in Paris before founding his iconic Rome fashion house. His life and career were deeply intertwined with business and romantic partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Together, they built an empire.
With his passing, the fashion industry bids farewell to a titan from a golden era—a peer of Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld—who represented a time when creative vision, not corporate strategy, was the ultimate authority on the catwalk. The world is now a little less "Valentino red."
