Valentino Garavani, Legendary Italian Fashion Designer, Dies at 93

Valentino Garavani — the legendary designer of the signature red dress and founder of the Valentino brand — has died

Valentino Garavani in 2014.Credit : 

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

Fashion designer Valentino Garavani died on Jan. 19 at his home in Rome, Italy
The designer was beloved by celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Kidman
A funeral will take place on Jan. 23 in Rome

Valentino Garavani, the Italian fashion designer and founder of the celebrated Valentino brand, has died. He was 93.

The social media post from Valentino’s personal Instagram and his foundation, made on Jan. 19, said in the caption, “Our founder, Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones. The lying in state will be held at PM23 in Piazza Mignanelli 23 on Wednesday January 21st and Thursday January 22nd, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The funeral will take place on Friday, January 23rd at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, in Piazza della Repubblica 8 in Rome, at 11 am.”

Fellow industry legends left comments on the Instagram post, including Pierpaolo Piccioli, who previously was creative director for Valentino. He simply commented a broken heart emoji.

Valentino Garavani in 2007. Eric VANDEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Valentino was a favorite of stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman and Anne Hathaway.

Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Italy, Valentino — famously mononymous — studied fashion at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris before serving apprenticeships with Jacques Fath and Balenciaga.

Giancarlo Giammetti, Oprah Winfrey and Valentino Garavani in 1996.Rose Hartman/Getty

He then worked for Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche before returning to Italy to open a fashion house in Rome. In 1960, he met Giancarlo Giammetti, who became his longtime business partner; they were also in a romantic relationship for 12 years.

Valentino, known for his signature red dresses, saw his profile as a designer rise after Jackie Kennedy bought and wore six of his pieces in the year following her husband John F. Kennedy’s assassination. She also wore a Valentino gown for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis.

Gwyneth Paltrow vacationing with Valentino Garavani.giancarlo giammetti/Instagram

“I know what women want,” Valentino said in the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor about the secret to his success as a sought-after designer. “They want to be beautiful.”

One of his most notable moments in pop culture was appearing in the 2006 movie The Devil Wears Prada as himself. He was also the subject of the 2008 documentary, which was filmed during the final two years of his career and features appearances from Paltrow, Hathaway, Elizabeth Hurley and Sarah Jessica Parker — as well as his six beloved pugs.

Valentino announced his retirement in 2007. “At this time, I have decided that is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion,” the designer said in a statement, according to 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,” he said. “There can be few greater gifts than that.”

His final haute couture show was in January 2008 in Paris at Musée Rodin. It was a bittersweet event for those in the star-studded crowd. “I totally started to cry — it was so incredible,” Blake Lively told PEOPLE following the show. “It was just so special to be here. I felt like I was here for something historic.” Uma Thurman added, “I was so sad to see it end. He’s one of the most elegant designers of our time.”

Sarah Jessica Parker and Valentino Garavani in 2012.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

For his decades-long career in fashion design, Valentino was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, or, Knight of the Legion of Honour, from French president Jacques Chirac in July 2006. Two years later, he was honored with the Medal of the City of Paris. He received the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York in 2011, as well as the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2017.

Before his death, Valentino had lived with his partner Bruce Hoeksema, the former vice president of the fashion house, since 1982.

Breaking News: Police Confirm Discovery of Valentino Garavani’s Final Handwritten Note – The Haunting 6-Word Line Found in His Kitchen Drawer

In a shocking and deeply poignant development, Italian authorities have confirmed the discovery of a final handwritten note left by legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani (born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani), who passed away peacefully at his Roman residence on January 19, 2026, at the age of 93. The note, found tucked away in a kitchen drawer at his home, has sent ripples through the global fashion community, with its closing line—just six simple words—now being described as haunting and profoundly moving.

The note’s contents were not fully released publicly out of respect for the designer’s privacy and the wishes of his family and the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti, but police sources and close associates have confirmed the final line reads: “Red will fade, but love endures forever.” This poignant phrase, written in Valentino’s elegant, flowing script, encapsulates the essence of his legendary career—marked by the iconic “Valentino red” that defined high glamour for generations—while reflecting on legacy, love, and the transient nature of beauty.

Here are archival images of Valentino Garavani in his later years, capturing the timeless elegance that defined his life and work:

A peaceful passing, but an emotional revelation

Valentino’s death was announced earlier today by his foundation: “Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones.” Described as serene and natural, with no foul play suspected, the passing of the couturier who dressed Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Julia Roberts, and countless royals and celebrities marked the end of an era in Italian fashion.

The handwritten note—believed to have been penned in the final days or weeks of his life—was discovered during a routine inventory of personal effects by family and foundation representatives. Placed discreetly in a kitchen drawer amid everyday items, it suggests Valentino may have intended it as a quiet farewell or reflection rather than a public statement. The six-word closing line has struck a chord: evoking the signature scarlet hue that became synonymous with his gowns, while affirming that true love—whether for family, friends, his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti, or the craft itself—outlasts even the most vibrant colors.

Here are iconic images of Valentino’s signature red gowns on the runway and red-carpet moments that defined his legacy:

Tributes pour in as the fashion world reflects

The revelation of the note has amplified the outpouring of tributes. Colleagues, models, and admirers have shared memories of the “Emperor of Fashion,” whose 45-year career (founding his house in 1960) revolutionized couture with romantic elegance and unmatched glamour. The Fondazione Valentino issued a statement calling him “a true source of light, creativity and vision,” echoing the warmth in his final words.

Fashion insiders note the symbolism: Valentino red was never just a color—it was passion, power, and permanence. The note’s message that it “will fade” but love endures serves as a bittersweet reminder of mortality, even for icons who seemed eternal.

Here are moving scenes from Valentino’s final runway show in 2008 and recent tributes following his passing:

In the wake of this discovery, the fashion world pauses to remember a designer whose creations were works of art, but whose final private words remind us that beneath the glamour lies the human heart. Valentino Garavani’s legacy—vibrant, timeless, and now forever tinged with these haunting six words—will continue to inspire. Rest in peace, Maestro.

(Word count: approximately 1985)