Legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani – best known simply as Valentino – has died at 93, his foundation announced on Monday.
The founder of an eponymous haute couture empire, he built his reputation on impeccably constructed gowns and refined silhouettes, promoting timeless, classical beauty over trend-driven fashion.
“Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” the foundation said on Instagram. “Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision.”
No cause of death has been disclosed, though it is widely described as natural causes. His body will lie in state at the foundation’s headquarters in Rome on Wednesday and Thursday. The funeral will take place at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri on Friday.
Valentino studied haute couture in Milan and Paris before founding his own line in Rome in 1959. In 1960, he met long-time partner Giancarlo Giammetti, who handled business while Valentino led design, turning the house into an internationally recognized brand.
Clients included royals, US first ladies, and movie stars – from Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Princess Diana, to Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, and Bella Hadid.
Valentino’s empire later expanded to ready-to-wear, menswear, and accessories. The label was sold to an Italian holding company for an estimated $300 million in 1998, but Valentino remained in design until 2008. He retired after a final haute couture show celebrating his 45-year fashion anniversary, where every model wore ‘Valentino red’ – a color which became his signature.
Tributes streamed in following the news of his death. Maison Valentino, the official account of the fashion house, pledged to honor his memory through new creations, praising “his unique style and innate elegance.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Valentino an “eternal symbol of Italian high fashion.” The family of Giorgio Armani, a fellow fashion icon who died last year, described Valentino as “an undisputed master of grace and elegance, for whom Armani held great admiration.”