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Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, founder of the Valentino fashion house and creator of the iconic “Valentino red,” has died at the age of 93 in Rome.
Valentino Garavani, Visionary Italian Designer Behind “Valentino Red,” Dies at 93
Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation confirmed on Monday.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the foundation said Garavani passed away at his home in Rome, surrounded by family and loved ones. His funeral service is scheduled for Friday, January 23, at 11 a.m. local time at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, located in Piazza della Repubblica.
Born in 1932 in Voghera, a small town in northern Italy, Garavani went on to become one of the most recognisable names in global fashion, known simply as “Valentino.” He began his formal training in Paris, working in prestigious haute couture ateliers before returning to Italy to establish his own fashion house in Rome in 1959.
His breakthrough came with a series of refined red evening gowns, created in a striking deep scarlet hue that became synonymous with his brand and later immortalised as “Valentino red.” The colour would go on to define his aesthetic and secure his place in fashion history.
Valentino’s influence only expanded in the decades that followed. During the 1970s, he spent considerable time in New York, moving within an elite creative circle that included pop artist Andy Warhol and legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland.
By the 1990s, his designs were a staple on international runways and red carpets alike, worn by the era’s most celebrated supermodels, including Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Valentino Garavani leaves behind a legacy defined by timeless elegance, meticulous craftsmanship, and an enduring vision of glamour that shaped modern haute couture.
January 20, 2026, 06:51 IST
