At a Glance
- Valentino Garavani died on January 19 at his Rome home at age 93
- The designer’s funeral will be held on January 23 at Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
- Stars from Jennifer Aniston to Anne Hathaway wore his famous red gowns
- Why it matters: He defined red-carpet glamour for six decades and created Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress
Valentino Garavani, the Italian founder of the Valentino fashion house, has died at his Roman residence. He was 93.
A joint Instagram post from his personal account and the Valentino Foundation on January 19 announced: “Our founder, Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones.”
Memorial Details
Public lying-in-state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on:
- Wednesday, January 21, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Thursday, January 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
The funeral is scheduled for Friday, January 23, 11 a.m. at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, Piazza della Repubblica 8, Rome.
Pierpaolo Piccioli, former creative director of the brand, responded to the announcement with a broken-heart emoji.
Rise of a Fashion Empire
Born May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Italy, Valentino trained at Paris’s École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. He apprenticed under Jacques Fath and Balenciaga before designing for Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche.
In 1960 he returned to Italy and launched his Rome atelier, meeting business and romantic partner Giancarlo Giammetti the same year.
Signature Style
Valentino became synonymous with:
- Vivid Valentino Red gowns
- Jet-set clientele
- Old-world couture craftsmanship
His breakthrough arrived when Jacqueline Kennedy bought six dresses after President Kennedy’s assassination and later wed Aristotle Onassis in a Valentino gown.
Celebrity Circle
Hollywood’s A-list counted him as their go-to designer. Regular wearers included:
- Jennifer Aniston
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Nicole Kidman
- Anne Hathaway
He appeared as himself in 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada and was profiled in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, which featured Paltrow, Hathaway, Elizabeth Hurley, Sarah Jessica Parker and his six pugs.
Retirement
Valentino stepped down in 2007, telling The New York Times: “At this time, I have decided that is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion. As the English say, I would like to leave the party when it is still full.”
His final haute-couture presentation took place in January 2008 at Paris’s Musée Rodin. Blake Lively told News Of Los Angeles afterward: “I totally started to cry-it was so incredible. It was just so special to be here. I felt like I was here for something historic.” Uma Thurman added: “I was so sad to see it end. He’s one of the most elegant designers of our time.”
Honors
Throughout his career Valentino received:
- Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur from French president Jacques Chirac, July 2006
- Medal of the City of Paris, 2008
- Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, 2011
- Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, 2017
Personal Life
Since 1982 Valentino shared his life with partner Bruce Hoeksema, former vice president of the fashion house.
Key Takeaways
- Valentino Garavani reshaped red-carpet dressing with his signature scarlet gowns
- His client roster spanned royalty, first ladies and movie stars for over 50 years
- The designer chose to retire at the height of his influence, staging a farewell couture show that moved attendees to tears
- He died peacefully at home, leaving behind a legacy of timeless elegance and the color that bears his name
