A FAREWELL TO VALENTINO GARAVANI

Written by: Darcy Williams
Valentino Garavani in a cream suit stands in front of mannequins dressed in elegant red gowns, arranged in rows on white steps, with their arms raised dramatically. The background is brightly lit by natural light.

Today, we say goodbye to Valentino Garavani, a designer whose devotion to elegance and romance shaped fashion for generations.

Valentino always understood the power of glamour. Born in Voghera and trained in Paris, he absorbed couture religiously. It was something to be protected and perfected. 

Valentino Garvani in a suit stands confidently with arms crossed, surrounded by five women in bold black and white patterned dresses and dramatic earrings, posing together under a tent with bright lights.
A group of four women in elegant black dresses pose with a smiling Valentino Garavani in a suit at a glamorous indoor event with chandeliers and a crowd in the background.
Valentino Garavani and a friend in suits and turtlenecks stand relaxed in a doorway. One man leans against the doorframe with arms crossed; the other stands slightly in front with legs crossed, smiling. The setting appears to be indoors.

His early success came from an ability to make women look refined while still unmistakably themselves. There was always a sense that his dresses arrived fully formed, as if they had been waiting for the right body to inhabit them. The woman didn’t overpower the clothes and the clothes never wore them. It was a delicate equilibrium that Valentino mastered.

Alongside his catalogue of captivating designs, he leaves behind the Valentino Red. A red that, to Valentino, was the embodiment of confidence. Valentino’s commitment to this singular colour is proof that obsession, when done well, can become a legacy.

Valentino Garavani in a tan suit adjusts the back of a womans flowing red dress in a room with framed fashion sketches covering the wall. The woman stands poised in front of a fireplace, surrounded by books and cabinets.
Valentino Garavani in formal attire stands in a room holding a white, embellished dress on a hanger, smiling. Behind him is a clothing rack with similar garments and ornate wallpaper. Another person is seated nearby.
A woman in a long, backless red dress poses confidently next to Valentino Garavani in a dark suit and tie, standing in a stylish indoor setting with a runway and mirrors in the background.

While the world obsessed over grunge and minimalism he remained bold and defiant in his love of glamour. His philosophy never bent to trends, instead striving to perfect an idea of femininity that felt eternal. 

When Valentino stepped back from his namesake house in 2008, an era shaped by unapologetic elegance drew to a close. Valentino Garavani’s legacy will be defined by an insistence on elegance. His work a reminder that fashion can, and always will be, romantic.

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