Valentino Garavani no more, fashion world mourns as Versace and Armani lead tributes

Valentino Garavani, the Italian fashion legend whose opulent gowns and unmistakable shade of “ Valentino red ” defined high glamour for generations, has died at his home in Rome at the age of 93, his foundation announced on Monday. His death marks the passing of one of the last true couturiers , a designer who devoted his life to elegance, beauty and an unwavering belief in timeless glamour.

Born on May 11, 1932, in the northern Italian town of Voghera , Valentino traced his creative awakening to childhood hours spent watching classic films and admiring the perfection of movie stars. That fascination led him to study fashion in Milan and Paris and to work in the 1950s under Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. In 1959, he returned to Italy to open his own fashion house on Rome’s Via Condotti, beginning a career that would reshape global couture alongside his lifelong partner and business collaborator, Giancarlo Giammetti.

Valentino rejected provocation and shock, choosing romance, discipline and femininity instead. Bows, ruffles, lace and intricate embroidery defined his aesthetic, while his deep, orange-tinged red became one of fashion’s most recognisable colours. “I know what women want,” he once said. “They want to be beautiful.” His designs were meant to flatter and elevate, never to overpower.

His vision was global. Alongside European couture and Hollywood glamour, Valentino repeatedly drew inspiration from India , admiring its textiles, hand embroidery and devotion to craftsmanship. Jewel tones, gold thread and ornate detailing influenced several of his couture collections. He often spoke of his respect for Indian artisanship, seeing parallels with the patience and precision of haute couture, and his designs became favourites among Indian royalty, socialites and film stars.

That philosophy made him the undisputed king of the red carpet. From Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana to Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Julia Roberts and Cate Blanchett , Valentino dressed women who defined power and grace. Roberts accepted her best actress Oscar in a vintage Valentino gown in 2001, while Blanchett wore a butter-yellow design for her 2004 win. He also designed the lace wedding dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis in 1968, sealing a lifelong friendship.

Away from fashion, Valentino lived the jet-set life he dressed for. Always impeccably tailored, he and Giammetti divided their time between homes in Rome, Paris, New York, London, Capri and Gstaad, travelled aboard a 152-foot yacht and collected art by Picasso and Miró. Despite early financial struggles caused by lavish spending, the brand flourished under Giammetti’s discipline, expanding into ready-to-wear, menswear, accessories and fragrances. The company was sold in 1998 for an estimated 300 million dollars, though Valentino remained creatively involved until his retirement in 2008.

Though revered, he faced criticism for traditional views on femininity and his disdain for casual dressing, as well as for resisting fashion’s shift toward experimentation. He never wavered, refining rather than reinventing. Tributes poured in after his death, with Donatella Versace and Giorgio Armani praising his devotion to beauty and craftsmanship. Valentino will lie in repose in Rome before his funeral, leaving behind a legacy where elegance knew no borders and beauty was never compromised.