Couturier to royalty and Hollywood: Italian designer Valentino Garavani dies at 93; a look back at his career

Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian fashion designer who defined modern couture and dressed royalty, first ladies and Hollywood stars for more than five decades, died on Monday at his home in Rome. He was 93.

His death was announced in a statement by the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti, the foundation set up by the designer and his longtime business partner, reported NYT.

Often described as the “last emperor” of couture – the title of a 2008 documentary on his life – and once dubbed the “Sheik of chic” by former Women’s Wear Daily editor John Fairchild, Garavani founded the Valentino fashion house in 1959. Over the next half century, he became synonymous with high glamour, dressing generations of princesses, socialites and movie stars while building a global luxury empire.




Italian PM Giorgia Meloni mourned the death of Valentino in a post on X, saying "Valentino, undisputed master of style and elegance and eternal symbol of Italian high fashion. Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything."



“In Italy, there is the Pope – and there is Valentino,” Walter Veltroni, then mayor of Rome, said in a 2005 New Yorker profile of the designer.

Garavani was known for his meticulously groomed appearance, his signature shade of red and a lifestyle that mirrored the elegance of his designs. His creations helped shape the image of Italian fashion during the era of La Dolce Vita and beyond. “I always look for beauty, beauty,” he told broadcaster Charlie Rose in a 2009 interview, adding that his goal was simple: “I try to make my girls look sensational.”

Among his most famous designs were the cream lace dress Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her 1968 marriage to Aristotle Onassis, the gown Farah Diba wore while fleeing Iran after the Shah’s ouster, and outfits worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Julia Roberts and Cate Blanchett on some of their most iconic public appearances.

Alongside Giancarlo Giammetti, Garavani helped secure Italian fashion a place alongside Parisian couture houses, paving the way for brands such as Armani and Versace. He also built a vast licensing business and became the first designer name brand to be listed on the Milan stock exchange, before stepping away from the runway in a carefully managed transition.

Garavani is survived by a legacy that shaped global fashion and defined elegance for generations.