Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani dead at 93 years old

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Valentino Garavani, the renowned Italian fashion designer, has passed away at the age of 93, as announced on his Instagram account.

Renato Garavani, the founder of Valentino, passed away at his home in Rome, Italy, on January 19th. The news was announced on his Instagram account and by the Valentino foundation, stating he died peacefully surrounded by family.

The designer’s funeral will be held in Rome on January 23rd. The announcement on social media also mentioned information about public memorial services.

Funeral details and public tributes

A public viewing will be held at PM23, located at Piazza Mignanelli 23, on January 21st and 22nd, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 23rd, at 11:00 AM at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Piazza della Repubblica, Rome.

As soon as the news came out, people started leaving heartfelt messages in the comments on Instagram. It was really touching to see, and even Pierpaolo Piccioli, the former creative director of Valentino, responded with a broken heart emoji – it clearly affected him too.

I always knew Garavani was a big deal – tons of famous actresses like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, and Anne Hathaway were huge fans of his designs. Seriously, if you saw a red carpet event, chances are someone was wearing Garavani!

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A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg)

In 1960, Valentino Garavani met Giancarlo Giammetti, who would become his business partner and, for twelve years, his romantic partner. Garavani gained international fame for his iconic red dresses, especially after Jackie Kennedy wore his designs following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. She later chose a Valentino gown for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis.

In the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, designer Valentino Garavani stated his belief that all women simply want to feel beautiful.

Valentino Garavani made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada. His life and career were chronicled in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, which followed him during his final two years as a designer. He retired in 2007, and his last haute couture fashion show was held in January 2008 at the Rodin Museum in Paris.

Giorgio Armani, the celebrated fashion designer, passed away in September 2025 at the age of 91 after a period of illness.

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2026-01-19 20:49