Valentino Garavani, Legendary Italian Designer Passes Away At 93

Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino brand, has passed away. He breathed his last at his Rome residence on Monday, January 19, surrounded by his loved ones.  He was 93. His passing was announced by his team through a social media post from Valentino's personal Instagram. Over the course of his fashion career, Valentino has dressed a host of big stars, including Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Monica Vitti and others. With his demise, he leaves behind an illustrious legacy.

Valentino Garavani Passes Away At 93

Taking to Instagram, the foundation revealed the details about the designer's demise and funeral. The post read, "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."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti (@fondazionevggg)

Following this, several fans and industry members expressed their sorrow upon hearing the news of Valentino Garavani's demise.

Pierpaolo Piccioli, who previously was creative director for Valentino, dropped broken heart emojis.

One user wrote, "RIP to the last emperor of glamour."

Another user commented, "Rest in peace Emperor. Your legacy will live on longer than any of us."

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About Valentino Garavani

Born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Italy, as Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, he is known worldwide simply by his first name. From an early age, he was fascinated by Hollywood glamour and went on to study fashion at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris before serving apprenticeships with Jacques Fath and Balenciaga.

Before opening his fashion house in Rome, he worked for Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. In 1960, he met Giancarlo Giammetti, who became his longtime business partner, as reported by People. Valentino, known for his signature red dresses, quickly established his name as a designer in the fashion industry.

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Over his decades-long career in fashion design, Valentino was honoured with several prestigious awards, including the Knight of the Legion of Honour by French president Jacques Chirac in July 2006. Two years later, he was awarded with the Medal of the City of Paris. In 2011, he was presented with the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 2017.