Legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at 93 in Rome, leaving a profound legacy in blending high couture with Hollywood glamour. Tributes from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow highlight his personal warmth and influence on red carpet culture. A funeral is scheduled for January 23 in the Italian capital.
Valentino Garavani, known simply as Valentino, passed away on Monday, January 19, 2026, at his residence in Rome, surrounded by loved ones, as announced by his foundation on Instagram. The 93-year-old designer revolutionized fashion by forging deep connections between European couture and Hollywood celebrities in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Documentary filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer, who directed the 2008 film 'Valentino: The Last Emperor'—which premiered at the Venice Film Festival—recalled Valentino's pivotal role in this shift. 'Valentino was at the forefront of Hollywood’s love affair with fashion in the late 20th century and the early 21st,' Tyrnauer told Variety. 'He was one of the first high fashion designers to embrace movie stars hardcore. Before that, fashion was really focused on socialites and aristocrats.' Alongside his partner Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino elevated actresses as muses, starting with figures like Elizabeth Taylor and Monica Vitti, and later including Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet, and Claire Danes. Jackie Kennedy, though not a movie star, boosted his fame by wearing his designs, including her 1968 wedding gown to Aristotle Onassis.
Tyrnauer's film captured Valentino's opulent lifestyle—complete with villas, chateaus, and five pugs tended by servants in white gloves—and his mercurial personality, from warm embraces to dramatic tantrums. Initially displeased with the documentary, Valentino embraced it after a 10-minute standing ovation at Venice, becoming a key promoter of its success.
Celebrity reactions poured in following the news. Gwyneth Paltrow, whom Valentino dressed for the Met Gala, awards shows, and her 2018 wedding to Brad Falchuk, shared: 'I was so lucky to know and love Valentino—to know the real man, in private... I loved his naughty laugh. This feels like the end of an era. He will be deeply missed by me and all who loved him. Rest in peace, Vava.' Cindy Crawford added: 'I’m heartbroken to hear of Valentino Garavani’s passing... He was a true master of his craft, and I will always be grateful for the years I had the privilege of working closely with him.'
Other notable clients included Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman, Barbra Streisand, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor. A funeral will be held on January 23 at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome's Piazza della Repubblica.
