Valentino Garavani, Legendary Italian Couturier Who Defined “Valentino Red,” Dies at 93

Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, the founder of one of the world’s most celebrated luxury houses and creator of the iconic “Valentino red,” has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday. Known across the industry as the “emperor” of haute couture, Valentino passed away at his home in Rome. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Rising to prominence in the late 1950s, Valentino became the first Italian designer to show on Paris’ elite haute couture runways and helped cement Italy’s global fashion reputation. His romantic yet meticulously detailed designs dressed generations of leading women, from Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor to Oscar winners Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz. A signature red gown featured in every collection, reflecting his belief that red symbolised strength, beauty and timeless elegance.

Valentino built a global fashion empire under his own name before retiring in 2008, following a farewell couture show in Paris. Alongside his lifelong partner Giancarlo Giammetti, he remained active in supporting the arts, most recently through the PM23 gallery in Rome. Revered as one of the last great couturiers of a pre-commercial fashion era, Valentino leaves behind a legacy defined by craftsmanship, glamour and an enduring devotion to beauty.

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