Valentino, the Italian designer known simply by his first name, has died aged 93 at his Roman home, his foundation announced on Monday evening, reports Cape {town} Etc.
The Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation said he passed away peacefully, surrounded by family (Reuters).
The foundation said his body will lie in state at Piazza Mignanelli on 21 and 22 January and a funeral will follow on 23 January at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs.
Born in Lombardy in 1932, Valentino trained in Paris and opened his Rome house in 1960. He made an unmistakable mark on red carpet style. His vivid ‘Valentino red’ and flowing gowns became symbols of glamour. Celebrities from Ann Hathaway, Elizabeth Taylor to Gwyneth Paltrow wore his work.
A huge loss for the fashion world💔
Rest in peace #ValentinoGaravani 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/X7lCvA96pd— Anne Hathaway (@AnneeJHathaway) January 19, 2026
Tributes arrived from fashion and politics. Alexandra Shulman said he ‘epitomised glamour and luxury’ and many peers called him a master of craftsmanship.
@Openthemag wrote in an X post calling him a ‘Purveyor of Beauty – The Italian designer showed that power could be soft, romantic, and exquisitely tailored, defining fashion not through spectacle or rebellion but with a quiet authority perfected over decades, writes Sohini Dey.’
Colleagues remembered his quiet dedication to beauty and detail. His fashion house and foundation said they will open tributes so the public can pay respects.
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Picture: @Openthemag / X
