Valentino Garavani Dies at 93

Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, founder of Valentino, has passed away at 93.

His foundation shared the news on Jan. 19, 2026 on Instagram.

“Our founder, Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” it wrote in a joint post with his official Instagram. “The lying in state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday January 21st and Thursday January 22nd, from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11 A.M.”

Garavani was born in Voghera, Italy, in May 1932. He went on to study fashion at the Santa Maria Institute in Milan, then the L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris. From there, he became an apprentice with Jacques Fath and Balenciaga, before working for Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. He opened his fashion house in Rome and went into business with Giancarlo Giammetti, who was his romantic partner for 12 years.

The Valentino brand has been a favorite among the influential elite for decades, with a huge presence in Hollywood. He was particularly known for his gowns in a scarlet shade called “Valentino red.”

He worked with Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Collins, Jane Fonda, Princess Diana, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jacqueline Kennedy, who famously wore a Valentino gown during her wedding to Aristotle Onassis in 1968.

Valentino received numerous awards throughout his storied career, including the Knight of the Legion of Honour, the Medal of the City of Paris, the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.

In a 2007 interview with RTL television, Valentino shared, “For me, woman is like a beautiful, beautiful flower bouquet. She has always to be sensational, always to please, always to be perfect, always to please the husband, the lover, everybody. Because we are born to show ourselves always at our best.”

He was also the subject of his own documentary in 2008, in conjunction with his final haute couture show in January that year in Paris at Musée Rodin. When he announced his retirement, The New York Times shared his statement reading, “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.”

He continued, “I have been very lucky to be able to do what I have loved all my life. There can be few greater gifts than that.”