Valentino, architect of crimson glamour and luxury, dies at 93

Valentino Garavani, the Italian couturier whose crimson palette and dedication to classical glamour shaped modern luxury dressing, has died at 93. The Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation said on Instagram that he “passed away peacefully in his Roman home, surrounded by the love of his family.”

A towering figure of 20th century fashion, Valentino co-founded his eponymous house in 1960 and steered it for nearly five decades, retiring in 2008. Over 48 years at the creative helm he fashioned a global luxury enterprise that extended from haute couture into ready-to-wear, menswear and accessories, building a brand that married artisanal technique with high-society allure. His aesthetic—opulent, unabashedly feminine and devoted to flattering the female form—became an enduring alternative to the minimalism that dominated later decades.

Valentino’s signature crimson, popularly known as Valentino red, became a visual shorthand for the house and for a particular idea of glamour. Reportedly inspired by a trip to Spain, the color first appeared in an early “fiesta dress” and returned as the final tableau of his farewell collection in 2008, when every model closed the show in red. That insistence on an identifiable visual language helped sustain the brand’s cultural cachet across generations.

His dresses graced a constellation of stars and public figures, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren to Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan and contemporary celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez. Valentino also crossed into other cultural spheres, designing the wedding gown for Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013 and creating 25 costumes for the New York City Ballet’s Fall Gala in 2012. Such projects underscored his capacity to translate couture savoir-faire into public, ceremonial moments.

Valentino’s business moves reflected broader industry dynamics. He and longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti sold the label to an Italian holding company in 1998 for an estimated $300 million, though Valentino remained a driving creative force for about another decade. In 2016 the pair established the Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome to support cultural programs and charitable initiatives for underprivileged children and the elderly; the foundation’s PM23 hub, adjacent to the Spanish Steps, now serves as both a public cultural space and the brand’s flagship.

Industry observers will mark his death as the closing chapter of a pre-globalized couture era, a moment that spotlights how contemporary fashion balances heritage and commerce. Valentino’s long stewardship shows the power of a distinct creative identity to hold value amid consolidation, celebrity-driven publicity and the shift toward accessible luxury. His recent honors, including an outstanding achievement award at the British Fashion Awards in December 2023, affirmed his sustained relevance.

Beyond aesthetics and business, Valentino’s legacy carries social resonance. His foundation work and the public access to PM23 reflect a modern expectation that iconic brands participate in civic life and charitable work. At the same time his career prompts reflection on luxury’s role in society—how it shapes aspirations, generates cultural capital and intersects with questions of inequality.

Valentino’s body will lie in state at PM23, Piazza Mignanelli 23, in Rome on Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A funeral is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Piazza della Repubblica. His passing closes a definitive chapter in high fashion while leaving a color, a silhouette and a vocabulary of glamour that will continue to influence designers and audiences worldwide.