Renowned Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died in Rome at the age of 93. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the fashion world.
This was reported by the publication la Repubblica.
Valentino Garavani died in Rome, the city he chose as his home and where he worked for most of his life. His name has become a symbol of high fashion, and the images he created have significantly influenced world culture and the concept of elegance. The designer himself has repeatedly said that his main task is to make women beautiful, and this is the principle he has followed throughout his career.
Garavani was born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera. After studying in Milan, he moved to Paris, where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and worked in leading fashion ateliers. In 1959, the designer returned to Italy and founded his fashion house in Rome, which later became one of the most famous in the world.
Giancarlo Giammetti, his partner and co-founder of the brand, played a major role in his life and career, with whom Valentino created one of the most successful creative partnerships in the fashion industry. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Valentino brand became a symbol of the era, and the designer himself gained worldwide fame after shows in Florence and Paris.
Garavani’s clients included actresses, singers, socialites, and royalty. His dresses were worn by Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Oscar-winning actresses. Valentino Garavani repeatedly emphasized that he sought to create clothes that suited women regardless of age and appearance.
In 1998, the designer sold his brand for $300 million, while retaining creative involvement in its development. In 2007, Garavani announced the end of his career, marking the occasion with large-scale events in Rome. His farewell to the catwalk was accompanied by exhibitions, shows, and celebrations that became iconic for the fashion world.
After his departure from the stage, the designer’s life and work became the subject of the documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, which received widespread international attention. Even after the end of his active career, Garavani remained an important figure in the fashion industry and influenced new generations of designers.
The fashion world remembers Valentino Garavani as a creator who embodied elegance, discipline, and impeccable taste, leaving behind a legacy that will long outlive his era.