Valentino Garavani
Founder of the Valentino fashion house
Valentino Garavani was the Italian couturier who founded the Valentino fashion house in Rome in 1960 and led it until his retirement in 2008. Known for his signature red and a polished, glamorous idea of elegance, he helped establish Italian fashion on the international stage. He died in Rome in January 2026, aged 93.
| Role | Founder and couturier, Valentino |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1960, Rome |
| Retired | January 2008 |
| Born | 1932, Voghera, Italy |
| Died | January 2026, Rome |
| Known for | Rosso Valentino and red carpet glamour |
Who was Valentino Garavani?
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, known simply as Valentino, was born in Voghera, Lombardy, in May 1932 and died in Rome on 19 January 2026. He founded Valentino, the Roman couture house that became a byword for red carpet glamour, and he remains one of the defining figures of twentieth century Italian fashion.
Career
Valentino trained in Paris, studying at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, and then spent several years as an assistant to the couturier Jean Dessès before working with Guy Laroche. After returning to Italy he opened his own house on Via Condotti in Rome in 1960. In the same year he met Giancarlo Giammetti, who became his business partner and ran the commercial side of the company for decades.
His international breakthrough came with a show in Florence in 1962. Through the 1960s he dressed clients such as Jacqueline Kennedy, and his all white couture collection of the late 1960s, marked by his V logo, cemented his reputation. Over the following decades his client list included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana and Julia Roberts.
The ownership of the business changed several times. Valentino and Giammetti sold the company to the HdP group in 1998; it later passed to the Marzotto group, to the private equity firm Permira in 2007 and, in 2012, to the Qatari investor Mayhoola for Investments. Kering acquired a 30 per cent stake in 2023. Valentino presented his final haute couture show at the Musée Rodin in Paris in January 2008.
Influence on the fashion business
Valentino showed that an Italian house could compete with Paris at the highest level of couture while building a substantial international business. By the mid 1980s his company was reported to be Italy's largest fashion exporter. Key elements of his legacy include:
- Rosso Valentino, a vivid red that became a recognisable brand asset
- A consistent, client focused vision of glamour built around eveningwear
- An early model of designer and business partner sharing leadership of a house
- A succession that has continued under later creative directors, including Alessandro Michele since 2024
His career was documented in the 2008 film Valentino: The Last Emperor, and he received honours including the French Legion of Honour.
Why it matters
Valentino's house is one of the clearest examples of how a founder's codes, in this case a colour, a silhouette and a style of celebrity dressing, can outlast the founder and remain commercially valuable through many changes of ownership. For anyone studying luxury brand building, his career offers a case study in heritage, consistency and the transition from founder led to corporate led fashion.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Valentino Garavani?
Valentino Garavani was an Italian fashion designer who founded the Valentino couture house in Rome in 1960. He led the house until his final show in January 2008 and died in Rome on 19 January 2026, aged 93.
What is Valentino Garavani known for?
He is known for his signature red, Rosso Valentino, and for dressing figures such as Jacqueline Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. He also helped establish Italian couture as an international business.