Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani waves to the audience after showing his spring and summer ready-to-wear collection in Paris in October 1994. AP Photo
Italy has lost one of its greatest fashion voices. Legendary designer Valentino Garavani died on Monday at his home in Rome at the age of 93, according to his foundation. He leaves behind a career that shaped modern fashion and a colour that became his lifelong signature.
The Birth of Valentino Red
Valentino’s most famous creation did not begin in a studio but at an opera house in Barcelona. As a young man, he noticed an elderly woman dressed in a striking shade of red, a blend of carmine, scarlet, and a touch of orange. The elegance of that moment stayed with him.
Years later, in 1959, he introduced the shade in a strapless cocktail dress made of soft tulle. The colour soon became known worldwide as “Valentino red.” He later wrote, “I think a woman dressed in red is always wonderful, she is the perfect image of a heroine.” From then on, at least one red dress appeared in every collection he created.
A Designer of a Different Era
Valentino belonged to a rare generation of designers who built fashion houses through craft and vision. He stood alongside Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld as one of the last great designers from a time before fashion became driven by marketing and corporate deals.
He broke barriers as the first Italian designer to show on the elite Paris haute couture runways. Film inspired him deeply. As a young man, he dreamed of dressing what he called the “beautiful ladies of the silverscreen.”
That dream came true. He designed Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding dress and dressed stars such as Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz. His work also graced Jackie Kennedy, adding to his global reputation.
Beauty as a Lifelong Goal
Valentino’s designs looked simple at first glance, yet they carried fine details, soft fabrics, and careful handwork. “I love beauty,” he once said. “It is not my fault. And I know what women want: they want to be beautiful.”
Born in Voghera, south of Milan, Valentino grew up as an only child in a comfortable family. He studied fashion in Milan and Paris and trained under designer Jean Dessès. In 1960, he returned to Italy and opened his own fashion house in Rome.
That same year, Elizabeth Taylor wore a white Valentino gown to the premiere of Spartacus. Also in 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti at a Roman café, beginning a partnership that shaped both his business and personal life.
Partnership and Legacy
Giammetti managed the business side while Valentino focused on design. Speaking of their bond, Valentino once said, “To share life with a person for your whole existence… is something that cannot be defined.”
Valentino retired in 2008 after a grand farewell in Rome. “I have decided that this is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion,” he said. “As the English say, I would like to leave the party when it is still full.”
In later years, he and Giammetti supported the arts through their foundation. In 2025, they opened a gallery in Rome, fittingly launching it with an exhibition centred on the colour red.
A Lasting Influence
Valentino’s love for beauty, discipline, and elegance never faded. His red dresses, fine craftsmanship, and quiet devotion to style will continue to inspire designers and fashion lovers for generations.
