The End of a Red Carpet Legend: 93-Year-Old Valentino Garavani Passes Away

Italian fashion legend Valentino Garavani has always been an irreplaceable name in the hearts of Hollywood goddesses. From the black-and-white era to the digital age, he defined “elegance” on the red carpet for screen sirens. On the 20th, his foundation confirmed that the legendary fashion master passed away in Rome, Italy, at the age of 93.

Valentino was born in 1932 in the northern Italian town of Voghera. He first honed his skills in Parisian haute couture workshops, then founded his eponymous brand in Rome in 1959. Early in his career, he stood out with a series of red gowns. That vibrant scarlet gradually became his signature, so much so that it came to be known in the industry as “Valentino Red.”

In 1960, Valentino met his long-time business partner—and twelve-year romantic partner—Giancarlo Giammetti, who was then a young architecture student. Together, the two built Valentino S.p.A. into an internationally renowned fashion brand.

One of Valentino’s earliest celebrity clients was “Dame Elizabeth Taylor”; they met in the early 1960s while she was filming Cleopatra in Rome. As the years passed, Valentino's popularity only grew. In the 1970s, he lived for a long time in New York, forging friendships with numerous celebrities, including artist Andy Warhol. In the 1990s, he became a darling of the supermodel generation, dressing the likes of Claudia Schiffer and “Black Pearl” Naomi Campbell.

His designs have long been a staple on the red carpet. In the Oscars alone, some of the most unforgettable Valentino looks include: Julia Roberts’ iconic black-and-white vintage gown in 2001, Jennifer Lopez’s mint-green robe in 2003, and Cate Blanchett’s pale yellow gown in 2014.

Cameo in “The Devil Wears Prada”

For decades, Valentino was a trendsetter in the fashion world and even made a cameo in the iconic fashion film The Devil Wears Prada, a moment that fashion lovers still fondly discuss. In the scene, set backstage at a Paris fashion show, Valentino appeared as himself and discussed the new season’s collection with “Meryl Streep’s” character, Miranda, the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. Though brief, the cameo thrilled fashion fans.

In his later years, Valentino lived a mostly private life, yet remained synonymous with elegance. He still made occasional appearances at fashion week shows and created bespoke gowns for select clients—most notably, he custom-designed Anne Hathaway’s wedding dress in 2012, a dreamy white gown adorned with silver accents, proving he was always the romantic designer. Last year, Hathaway donned a classic look from Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2003 haute couture collection at a fashion event and personally presented the “Lifetime Achievement Award” to Valentino and brand co-founder Giancarlo Giammetti.