Fashion Designer Valentino Garavani Passes Away In His Home

Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer behind the iconic Valentino label, has died at 93. He built his empire on ultra-romantic gowns, razor-sharp tailoring, and a shade so iconic it developed its own name, "Valentino red." If you've ever seen a star hit the carpet wearing a bold shade of red, a dramatic train, and a perfect fit, there's a good chance Valentino's fingerprints were all over it. He was known for dressing the rich, famous, and royally important, bringing unforgettable, elegant silhouettes to life. And while fashion moves fast, Valentino Garavani's style stayed consistent.

Valentino Garavani's Death Announced In Emotional Instagram Statement

 

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A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg)

News of his death was shared on Monday, January 19, via Valentino's personal Instagram account and his foundation. The caption read:

“Our founder, Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones. The lying in state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday January 21st and Thursday January 22nd, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11 am.”

The post quickly filled with tributes from fashion-world heavyweights, including former Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who kept it simple in the comments with a broken heart emoji.

Fashion World Floods Post With Tributes

 

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A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg)

Model Helena Christensen commented, "Such wonderful memories with this beautiful, talented man and genius," while male model Alex Belli chimed in, "a man, a mentor, a friend!! But your greatness will forever remain with us."

Fashion photographer Arthur Elgort expressed, "Thank you, Valentino, for the beauty and magic you have brought into the fashion world. It has been an honor to witness and capture it," as author Laura McLaws Helms simply wrote, "Rest in peace."

Meanwhile, other fans shared their condolences, writing things like "R.I.P. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten," and "May God rest his soul!"

Valentino Garavani's Last Runway Bow

Valentino announced his retirement in 2007, later closing out his couture era with a final haute couture show in January 2008 at Paris' Musée Rodin. Beyond the runway, Valentino also carved out a pop-culture lane, including a memorable cameo as himself in "The Devil Wears Prada" and a spotlight moment in a 2008 documentary filmed during the final two years of his career.

" Valentino was one of the first designers to make himself the inspirational figure at the center of the story he was telling," producer and director Matt Tyrnauer said at the time. "He is a born dreamer, and the last true couturier, who let us in on his creative process and also let us in on the life he built around him to sustain this process."

Tyrnauer added, "He lives as lavishly as his clients and set a standard for the industry. He shuts out all that is not beautiful, and we followed him around the world to capture that special world."

Zendaya Revives Vintage Garavani Runway Look For 'Euphoria' Premiere

Zendaya shines in iconic Bulgari Jewelry at the Los Angeles premiere of Euphoria season 2 Rocking these white gold and diamond Serpenti Viper earrings with this Bulgari HighJewelry diamond ring. pic.twitter.com/4dE2NGCMAf

— JewelryAffairs (@JewelryAffairs) July 19, 2024

Zendaya paid tribute to Valentino's legacy back in 2022, when she and stylist Law Roach pulled a jaw-dropping look straight from the fashion house's archives for the virtual red carpet premiere of "Euphoria" Season 2.

The actress put her own twist on a black-and-white, vertically striped Valentino gown from the brand's 1992 collection, a piece that originally debuted on the runway during the Italian fashion house's Spring/Summer show. And the throwback moment came with supermodel history, because the same design was first modeled on the catwalk by none other than Linda Evangelista.

Valentino Garavani's Star-Studded Client List

In addition to Zendaya, Valentino became the go-to designer for A-listers, outfitting everyone from Sharon Stone and Nicole Kidman to Gwyneth Paltrow, Barbra Streisand, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Valentino's legacy, of course, will live far beyond this week's tributes, especially with the signature "Valentino red" that made him a legend.