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On Monday, January 19, 2026, the fashion world lost one of its most towering figures as Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian couturier, passed away at the age of 93. The news was confirmed by the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti, which stated that the designer died peacefully at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones. His death marks the symbolic end of the “Golden Age” of couture, as he was one of the last living designers from an era defined by grand, artisanal beauty before the industry shifted toward high-speed commercialism.
Born in Voghera, Italy, in 1932, Valentino moved to Paris as a teenager to study at the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. After apprenticing with industry titans like Balenciaga and Guy Laroche, he returned to Italy and founded the House of Valentino in Rome in 1960. It was there, alongside his lifelong business partner and former romantic partner Giancarlo Giammetti, that he built a global empire synonymous with opulence, femininity, and impeccable craftsmanship.
Valentino’s most enduring legacy remains “Valentino Red,” a specific, vibrant scarlet hue that became a staple of his collections and a signature of red carpets worldwide. His ability to craft “The Dress” made him a favorite among the world’s most famous women, often referred to as “Val’s Gals.” His client list was a tapestry of 20th-century icons, including Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who famously wore a Valentino gown for her 1968 wedding to Aristotle Onassis.
In 2008, Valentino officially retired from active designing, a transition captured in the acclaimed documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor. Even in retirement, he remained a fixture of high society and an influential mentor to the creative directors who followed him. His passing follows the recent death of fellow Italian legend Giorgio Armani in late 2025, further signaling a generational shift in the landscape of high fashion.
To honor his life and work, a lying-in-state will be held at the foundation’s headquarters in Piazza Mignanelli on Wednesday and Thursday. The funeral is scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026, at the Basilica of Santa Mary of the Angels and Martyrs in Rome. As tributes pour in from heads of state and Hollywood stars alike, Valentino is being remembered not just as a designer, but as a man who lived by his own simple creed: “I know what women want. They want to be beautiful.”
