Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find men like Valentino Garavani who truly seem to understand what the women he dressed wanted in regards to their clothing. Famously, he said that “[he knows] what women want. They want to be beautiful.”
Valentino Garavani, a man who just wanted women to feel beautiful in the clothing they wear, tragically passed away on Jan. 19, 2026, at the age of 93. Undoubtedly a fashion mogul and icon, Valentino was known for his glamorous couture clothing that was often paired with his signature “Valentino red” color. He founded the legendary Maison Valentino fashion brand in 1960, a few years after the end of the “golden era of couture,” in which infamous fashion brands such as Balmain, Balenciaga and Dior emerged. He was often cited as the “last emperor of Italian fashion,” being one of the last living legends of this glamorous period up until his recent death. He dressed legendary women like Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, and was highly respected by the women he dressed.
This respect is best seen in the attendees of his funeral. Anne Hathaway, who starred in the film “The Devil Wears Prada,” attended the service at the Piazza della Repubblica in Rome on Jan. 23, alongside fellow fashion trailblazers Anna Wintour and Donatella Versace, amongst many others. The weather was beautiful, fitting for the man whose life was being honored that day.
Valentino’s passing will be felt deeply by the fashion industry and community. It’s a loss of a man who defied all odds and became a couturier when it seemed impossible for an Italian man in Paris to break through in the way that he did. When honoring his life and legacy, I went back through some of his most iconic looks and wanted to point out a few that have really stuck with me.
The first ever Valentino collection in the ’50s is known for every piece having the exact same fiery red, later coined “Valentino rosso” or “Valentino red.” It was the collection that got Valentino on the map in all its seductive, romantic fashion. I also love his bridal looks, with my favorite being the one from his 1993 spring collection, modeled by Christy Turlington. It’s big and adorned with ruffles and lace; what more could you possibly want? The look is also topped with a Mary Poppins-esque hat that is wrapped in tulle and ties the look together beautifully.
The gown worn by Julia Roberts at the Oscars in 2001 is also one of my favorites. I love how simple the dress looks at first, but the longer you look, the more effective the simplicity becomes. There’s just a white line that goes down the center of the gown with white lines woven through the train of the gown that ties the look together perfectly. It’s simple, classy and tasteful, and has cemented itself as an iconic Oscars look.
That’s what Valentino got exceptionally right: simplicity. In many of Valentino’s fashions, there isn’t too much going on, which is what I think makes his artistic vision so interesting. One usually expects fashion houses to put together the most unpredictable outfits possible, like modern trends seen often nowadays. However, Valentino prioritized the look of the model in the outfit, with the pieces acting as a way to accentuate the beauty of the person wearing it, not just the beauty of the garment itself. I highly respect this approach to fashion and design, and can pinpoint it as the reason Valentino is so beloved and why his funeral was attended by thousands of adoring friends, trusted colleagues and devoted fans.
Valentino, as a human being, was just as beautiful as the clothing he created, the women he uplifted and the fashionable world he curated. Surely, the world of fashion would never have been what it has become today without Valentino’s expertise, craft, vision and love for what fashion meant to not only himself, but to the people he created for. I have nothing but the utmost respect for him and the legacy he created with his iconic work.
