Fashion icon, Valentino Garavani d!es at 93

Italian fashion icon Valentino Garavani, celebrated for his timeless evening gowns and glamorous designs, has passed away at the age of 93

The Valentino Foundation confirmed on Monday that he d!ed peacefully at his home in Rome, surrounded by family.

“Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” the statement read.

A lying-in-state will take place on Wednesday, January 21, and Thursday, January 22, at PM23, Piazza Mignanelli 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the funeral scheduled for Friday, January 23, at 11:00 a.m. at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, Piazza della Repubblica 8, Rome.

Born in Voghera, northern Italy, in 1932, Valentino trained in Parisian haute couture before launching his own fashion house in Rome in 1959. He quickly became renowned for his signature scarlet dresses, famously known as “Valentino red.”

In 1960, he met Giancarlo Giammetti, his long-time business and romantic partner, with whom he built Valentino SpA into a globally recognized luxury brand.

Valentino’s early clientele included Hollywood royalty and global elites such as Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Joan Collins, Queen Paola of Belgium, and Begum Aga Khan. His designs became red-carpet staples for decades, worn by stars at the Academy Awards including Jane Fonda, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Cate Blanchett, and Anne Hathaway, among others.

Throughout his career, Valentino’s influence spanned generations, from the supermodels of the 1990s like Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell to today’s stars such as Zendaya, Carey Mulligan, and Gemma Chan, cementing his legacy as one of fashion’s most enduring and celebrated designers.