With the passing of Valentino Garavani, fashion loses one of its founding fathers, and Italy one of its most influential ambassadors to the world. The creator of a distinctive, rigorous and deeply emotional aesthetic, Valentino spanned decades of history, transforming elegance into a universal language shaped by absolute beauty, discipline and grace.
Born in Voghera in 1932, Valentino Garavani built his creative universe between Paris and Rome, bringing together the precision of French haute couture with Italian theatricality and romanticism. In 1960, he founded the Maison Valentino, destined to become one of the most iconic names in international luxury. From that moment on, his fashion became synonymous with formal perfection, with garments designed to enhance the female figure without ever overpowering it.
The legendary Valentino Red (a shade that has become myth) is perhaps the most immediate symbol of his legacy, yet reducing his genius to a single color would be unfair. Valentino dressed the very idea of femininity: powerful yet composed, sensual yet never aggressive, fully aware of its own strength. His creations accompanied some of the most iconic women of the twentieth century and the early 2000s, from Jacqueline Kennedy to Elizabeth Taylor, from Sophia Loren to contemporary modern muses, turning every appearance into a moment of history.
In 2008, with a farewell runway show that remains etched in collective memory, Valentino stepped away from the catwalk, leaving the creative helm but not the myth. Since then, his name has continued to stand as an absolute reference for elegance, discipline and vision, influencing generations of designers and creatives in an industry that has grown increasingly fast-paced and forgetful, yet still deeply indebted to his codes.
Valentino Garavani was not only a fashion designer, but a builder of worlds. He proved that fashion can be timeless, that luxury can be quiet, and that beauty does not need to shout to be seen. In an era where everything passes quickly, his work endures. And it will continue to do so.
Today, we bid him farewell with respect and gratitude, aware that few figures have shaped the very idea of elegance so profoundly. Valentino did not simply dress women: he taught the world how to look at them.