Iconic fashion designer Valentino passes away at 93
"He passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones," announced the Valentino Garavani Foundation, mourning the loss of the fashion icon at the age of 93, Agenzia Nova reports.
One of the most celebrated Italian designers and one of the most influential figures in international fashion, he would have turned 94 on May 11th. Born in 1932 in Voghera, in the province of Pavia, he demonstrated a strong passion for art and elegance from a very young age, which led him to study fashion first in Milan and then in Paris, at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture. After working for important French fashion houses, including Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, he returned to Italy in 1960 and founded Maison Valentino in Rome, together with his partner and life partner. Giancarlo Giammetti. Success came quickly: her refined and timeless style is distinguished by clean lines, precious fabrics and an elegant and sophisticated femininity.
A distinctive element of his work is the famous "Valentino red," an intense and vibrant shade that has become the symbol of the fashion house and its aesthetic vision. Over the years, Valentino has dressed some of the most famous and influential women in the world, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and, more recently, numerous film stars and international royalty. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival and the Legion of Honor in France, a testament to his cultural as well as stylistic impact. In 2008, he officially retired from the fashion scene with a memorable show in Paris, relinquishing his creative direction of the house but not his role as a fashion icon.
The chapel of rest, it is added, will be set up at PM23, at Piazza Mignanelli 23 in Rome, on Wednesday, January 21st and Thursday, January 22nd, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The funeral will be held on Friday, January 23rd, at 11:00 a.m., at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, at Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome. The liar to the state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday, January 21st and Thursday, January 22nd, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The funeral will be held on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, at Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11:00 a.m.
Valentino Garavani was "the undisputed master of style and elegance and an eternal symbol of Italian high fashion." The Prime Minister wrote this in X, Giorgia Meloni, who added: “Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything.”
Qazinform News Agency reported in September 2025 that Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani died at the age of 91.
