What a life to remember. The fashion industry is honoring the life and legacy of Valentino Garavani following confirmation of his death in Rome. His foundation announced the news in an official Instagram statement, noting that the designer passed away peacefully at his residence in Rome, surrounded by family.
Public viewings will be held at PM23 on Wednesday, Jan. 21, and Thursday, Jan. 22, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. A funeral service is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 23, at 11 a.m. at the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome.
Born in 1932 in the Italian province of Pavia, Garavani developed an early fascination with clothing and design. His path into fashion took shape through an apprenticeship with his aunt, a local designer. That foundation led him to establish his own fashion house in 1960, a move that would eventually place him among Italy’s most influential creative figures.
Reflecting on his early years, Garavani once spoke candidly about his expectations as a young designer in Paris. “My dear, when you start it’s quite difficult to dream for everybody. But of course you have aspirations. I did a very important collection in 1968 and I realized that I was quite good. All the magazines and everybody came to visit me. I became quite well known for my glamour and my femininity and women started to love my clothes.”
He often returned to the idea of beauty as his central motivation. “Beauty is the most important. Since I was a child I loved the way a dress looks, I admired a great face, a lovely body. I enjoy the beauty in a woman, in a man, in a child, in a painting. Beautiful things are important and make life important. Since I was a kid I’ve been encouraging myself to appreciate beauty.”
Garavani’s influence endures through decades of design defined by elegance, romance, and a devotion to beauty itself.