Who is Valentino Garavani? Legacy and Death of the Italian Fashion Lord

Valentino Garavani (11 May 1932 – 19 January 2026), also known as Valentino, was an Italian fashion designer who created the Valentino fashion house in 1960. His primary lines were Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino. Valentino Garavani, the Italian fashion designer whose name became synonymous with high splendour and ageless elegance, died at the age of 93 in his Rome home, according to his foundation on Monday. The news was published on social media, stating that he died quietly, surrounded by loved ones.

Who is Valentino Garavani?

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Lombardy—then part of the Kingdom of Italy—to Mauro Garavani and Teresa de Biaggi. His mother named him after Rudolph Valentino, a matinée idol from the 1920s, and his father was Mauro Garavani.

He became interested in fashion while still in primary school in Voghera, where he apprenticed with his aunt Rosa and local designer Ernestina Salvadeo, an aunt of the artist Aldo Giorgini. He eventually relocated to Paris to pursue this ambition, with his parents’ help, and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture.

Career

Valentino was born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, northern Italy, and was generally known simply as Valentino – a name that came to represent elegance, refinement, and couture quality around the world.

In 1959, he started the House of Valentino, and during the next five decades, he rose to become one of fashion’s most prominent leaders.

Valentino’s designs were renowned for their precise craftsmanship, elegance, and, most notably, a trademark shade of red known as “Valentino Red”. The striking shade was extensively featured in his collections and became synonymous with his brand’s character.

Throughout his career, Valentino dressed some of the twentieth century’s most prominent women. His clients included Hollywood celebrities, European royalty, and global fashion icons, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Princess Diana.

His gowns were a common sight on red carpets and at high-society gatherings, making him popular among celebrities and socialites alike.

Valentino originally garnered international acclaim in the 1960s, shortly after founding his company, and swiftly built a reputation for sumptuous evening clothing, perfectly tailored lines, and a romantic aesthetic that appealed to women of many countries.

Throughout his long career, he was regarded as one of the last great couturiers of a generation that established fashion prior to the present era of mass marketing and worldwide commercialisation.

Throughout his long career, he was regarded as one of the last great couturiers of a generation that established fashion prior to the present era of mass marketing and worldwide commercialisation.

In addition to his fashion accomplishments, Valentino’s personal style and luxurious lifestyle made him a beloved figure in the fields of art, society, and popular culture. His regular appearances at major fashion shows and elite gatherings, often accompanied by his long-time business and life partner Giancarlo Giammetti, cemented his reputation as an arbiter of taste and elegance.

Valentino withdrew from active design work in 2008, marking the end of an almost 50-year career. His final haute couture show in Paris signalled the end of an era for the fashion brand he founded from the ground up. Even after retirement, he remained a recognised figure in the fashion industry, frequently attending his successors’ shows and providing advice and inspiration.

The Valentino brand has evolved throughout the years under numerous creative directors while keeping its reputation for refinement and luxury. In recent years, personalities such as Pierpaolo Piccioli and later Alessandro Michele have taken the helm, taking Valentino’s legacy into the modern fashion environment.

Tributes have flooded in from all across the world following his death. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Valentino as an “undisputed master of style and elegance and an eternal symbol of Italian high fashion,” while designers, models, and celebrities praised a career that affected generations.

Personal Life

In the 2008 film Valentino: The Last Emperor, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti recall how they met on July 30, 1960, on Via Veneto, the epicentre of Rome’s Dolce Vita. They have been together for over 50 years, despite the fact that their romantic relationship ended in 1972.

According to Giancarlo’s private recollections, Valentino first met 19-year-old Carlos Souza at the Hippopotamus club in Rio de Janeiro in 1973, and they dated until Carlos married Brazilian socialite Charlene Shorto in 1983. Valentino and Giancarlo eventually became godfathers to Charlene and Carlos’ kids, Sean and Anthony.

Carlos and Charlene continued to work in public relations for Maison Valentino following their divorce in 1990, and they have remained close ever since.

Death 

Valentino died in Rome on January 19, 2026, at the age of 93. His foundation said that he died quietly in his city home, surrounded by loved ones, of natural causes. He will lie in state at Piazza Mignanelli 23 in Rome on January 21-22. His funeral will be held on January 23 at the Basilica of Santa María degli Angeli e dei Martiri in the morning.