Legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani, founder of the iconic Valentino brand, has passed away at his Roman residence at age 93. Surrounded by loved ones, his death was announced via the brand's Instagram on January 19, 2026. The fashion world is mourning the loss of a true icon.
Oh, the fashion gods are weeping today, darlings—Valentino Garavani, the maestro behind those swoon-worthy red carpet gowns, has left us at 93. Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in 1932 in Voghera, Lombardy, he dove headfirst into the glamorous world of couture, studying at Paris's École des Beaux-Arts and Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne before apprenticing under the legendary Balenciaga. By 1960, he launched his eponymous house, turning heads with his elegant designs that screamed 'beautiful'—just like he once quipped in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor: “I know what women want... They want to be beautiful.” 🔥
Friends with A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, and Anne Hathaway, Valentino built an empire worth $1.5 billion by 2026, per Celebrity Net Worth. He bowed out gracefully in 2007, with his final haute couture show in January 2008 at Paris’s Musée Rodin. “At this time, I have decided that is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion,” he said at the time, via The New York Times. “As the English say, I would like to leave the party when it is still full... I have been very lucky to be able to do what I have loved all my life.” Iconic exit, no? 👏
His longtime business and life partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, stood by him from 1960 onward, remaining close till the end. No cause of death has been disclosed, keeping that tea under wraps. Tributes are pouring in on X, with fans calling him “the last of that sort of post mid century couture design set” and hailing his legacy. Lying in state starts Wednesday, January 21st, at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., through Thursday. The funeral? Friday, January 23rd, at 11 a.m. in Rome's Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. So, who's dusting off their Valentino reds for the send-off? 💔
