Valentino Garavani, Legendary Italian Fashion Designer, Dies at 93

Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian fashion designer known simply as Valentino, has died at the age of 93. His foundation confirmed the news on Monday, stating that he passed away peacefully at his home in Rome, surrounded by loved ones.

Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, northern Italy, he discovered his passion for fashion early in life.

As a young man, he moved to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, later honing his craft under designers Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche.

After returning to Italy, Valentino founded his fashion house in 1960.

His refined vision of glamour, meticulous craftsmanship and celebration of femininity quickly distinguished him in the world of haute couture. By the mid-1960s, his work had captured international attention, attracting clients ranging from European royalty to Hollywood’s most celebrated stars.

Among his most famous admirers was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who wore his designs during periods of public mourning and again for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis, moments that firmly embedded Valentino into fashion history. Over the decades, his creations were worn by icons such as Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Julia Roberts, becoming fixtures on red carpets around the world.

Valentino built his empire alongside his longtime partner and business collaborator, Giancarlo Giammetti. Together, they shaped one of the most respected luxury fashion houses of the modern era. Although Valentino retired from active design in 2008, his aesthetic, particularly his iconic shade of red, continued to influence the brand and the wider fashion industry.

In a statement shared online, the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti described him as a lasting source of inspiration, creativity and vision.

Valentino will lie in state in Rome on January 21 and 22. His funeral service will be held on January 23 at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.

Through his mastery of couture, his devotion to beauty and detail, and his unmistakable signature style, Valentino reshaped the language of elegance and secured his place as one of the most influential designers of his generation.