Khaberni - Italian global fashion designer Valentino Garavani, one of the most prominent icons of high fashion in the 20th century, passed away on Monday at his home in the capital Rome, at the age of 93, according to a statement issued by the Valentino Garavani Foundation and Giancarlo Giammetti.
With Valentino's departure, an exceptional chapter in the history of global fashion closes. He was the designer who redefined the image of royalty in a republican age, linking his name with the elegance of princesses, Hollywood stars, and women of society, both reigning and deposed alike. His death was announced in an official statement from his foundation, marking the end of a career that spanned more than six decades of influence, extravagance, and aesthetic discipline.
Valentino was dubbed "the Last Emperor" in the documentary of the same name in 2008, and was described by John Fairchild, former editor of Women’s Wear Daily, as "the Sheik of Chic." He established his fashion house in 1959, and over half a century, he did not merely design clothes for the global elite but rather became one of them, surrounded by a mobile court, luxurious palaces, and an iconic red color that became his trademark: "Valentino Red."
With his striking appearance combining a permanent bronze tan and meticulously groomed hair, Valentino Garavani embodied a complete image of quiet luxury, and he shaped Italian taste over decades, establishing its characteristics through successive generations. His designs were not just clothes but visual documents of pivotal historical moments, from Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress for her marriage to Aristotle Onassis, to Farah Pahlavi's appearance as she left Iran in 1979, culminating in the iconic black dress worn by Julia Roberts at the 2000 Oscars.
Through the women who chose his designs, it is possible to trace the narrative of the latter half of the 20th century. From Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan, to Princess Diana and Jennifer Lopez, Valentino was a beacon of elegance for political, cultural, and artistic elites. With his long-term partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, he led the Valentino house to the forefront of haute couture, becoming one of the most influential designers and paving the way for the rise of global Italian brands such as Armani and Versace.
Valentino was known for his definitive stance on fashion shows as platforms for beauty rather than technical statements or fleeting trends. He said in his documentary: "I make dresses for women who actually wear them."
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, northern Italy, and his aesthetic inclinations appeared early in his childhood. He studied fashion in Milan, then moved to Paris to attend the "Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne" school, before working with prominent names in the design world like Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche.
In 1959, he returned to Rome to establish his own house with support from his father, and a year later, he met Giancarlo Giammetti, starting a partnership that became the backbone of his professional and economic success. Despite financial turmoil in the beginning, the duo succeeded in building a global fashion empire and achieving a fortune through commercial licenses, making Valentino the first fashion designer to take his name to the Milan stock exchange.
Even after his official retirement in 2008, Valentino's creative presence remained, continuing to design special wedding dresses and participating in designing operatic works, alongside publishing a book reflecting his vision of lifestyle and luxury, which led those close to him to consider him "the one who set the standard for luxury" in the fashion world.
With his passing, Valentino disappears from the public scene, but his name remains, as a designer who made beauty a consistent value, and elegance a comprehensive vision that transcends fashion into a lifestyle.
