On January 19, 2026, fashion legend Valentino Garavani passed away at the age of 93. Garavani has left fashion lovers with a lifetime of design, talent, and undeniable influence to study. His career began in Paris after attending fashion design school and working as an apprentice at an atelier. In 1959, he relocated to Rome, opening up his own atelier and beginning the formation of the Valentino house. After almost 50 years of incredible work, he retired as creative director of Valentino in 2007. In remembrance of his legacy, here is a bit about the phenomenal impact he made on the fashion community.

Valentino Red Dresses, Photo via Style Magazine

Early in his career, Valentino created the iconic Valentino Red. It hit the runway for the first time in the house’s Spring/Summer 1959 show. The featured red dress was fittingly named “Fiesta.” Since then, the color has not only been trademarked and assigned its own Pantone color code, but has also appeared in every Valentino show except one since its creation. This one standout show defined a pivotal moment in Valentino’s reputation and credibility in the luxury industry.

While the iconic red color was still a staple of the brand, in 1968 Valentino showed the world his skill for French couture by presenting the White Collection. This was the only collection not featuring a Valentino Red dress. Instead, it was entirely composed of white pieces, highlighting the designs' structure and craftsmanship. The White Collection propelled Valentino to success as an Italian brand in the French market, combining French technique with Italian love of color.

Valentino also cared for and designed for many muses. Elizabeth Taylor helped solidify Garavani as a valued designer on the red carpet in Hollywood in his early career, wearing cutting-edge designs to award ceremonies and premieres. Other notable muses, inspirations, and close friends of Garavani later in his career included Gisele Bündchen, Naomi Campbell, Julia Roberts, and Jackie-O. He created a series of dresses in black and white for Jackie-O after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which she wore in mourning for her husband throughout the following year. Valentino later helped design her wedding gown when she remarried.

Most notably, Valentino took muse, Claudia Schiffer, under his wing. The German supermodel walked around 10 runways for the house and sported Valentino on endless red carpets around the world. In interviews with Vogue, Schiffer spoke about the special relationship she shared with Garavani, calling him a “dear friend.” During her engagement, she recalled approaching Valentino and asking him to design her wedding gown. His response? “I already did.” Valentino had designed a plethora of dresses for the supermodel in different silhouettes, necklines, and materials. When she tried on the final design of her dress, she remembered looking out the window onto the streets of Rome and saying, “This is la dolce vita.”

Left photo via Claudia Schiffer’s instagram, right photo via Vogue

Valentino truly encompassed what it meant to design for a muse. He not only cared for and loved the obvious beauty of these supermodels, but he also built relationships with their inner beauty. Garavani should be remembered as a lover of artistry and fashion in pursuit of timeless elegance, a hardworking businessman, and an innovative force in the fashion industry. His legendary legacy is a testament to, in Schiffer’s words, “la dolce vita” and the art of living beautifully.

La Dolce Vita: Valentino Garavani

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