The fashion world paused today in Rome to bid a poignant farewell to one of its most enduring icons: Valentino Garavani, the legendary couturier simply known as Valentino, who passed away peacefully at his Roman home on January 19, 2026, at the age of 93.

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Under the soaring vaults of the historic Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri near Piazza della Repubblica, a constellation of style royalty, Hollywood glamour, and devoted admirers gathered this morning for a funeral service that felt less like an ending and more like a grand final bow.

The basilica, transformed into a temple of remembrance, held a large black-and-white portrait of a smiling Valentino at the altar—a reminder of the warmth behind the impeccable elegance. After two days of public viewing at the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation headquarters, where thousands paid their respects, the ceremony united generations who had been touched by his vision.

Among the mourners were fashion titans who walked parallel paths with him: Donatella Versace in a bold red suit (a nod, perhaps, to the hue he made legendary), Tom Ford, Alessandro Michele, Brunello Cucinelli, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and Pierpaolo Piccioli—the latter having carried the torch at Valentino for years. Anna Wintour, the indomitable force of fashion journalism, sat solemnly alongside them.

Hollywood sent its own delegation of grace: Anne Hathaway, who once shimmered in his gowns on red carpets; Elizabeth Hurley, accompanied by her son Damian (who added a striking red scarf to his ensemble); and others who had long trusted Valentino to make them feel invincible.

The air carried whispers of his signature “Valentino Red”—that perfect, vibrant shade of crimson he declared “always magnificent.” While most attendees wore sober black in keeping with tradition, subtle tributes in red appeared like quiet rebellions: a scarf here, a suit there, a reminder that even in grief, his color refused to fade.

Valentino built an empire on unapologetic glamour. From dressing Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor to captivating Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Queen Rania of Jordan, he made women feel like modern-day empresses. His atelier was a sanctuary where fantasy met flawless execution, and his runway shows were celebrations of timeless femininity.

Today’s gathering was not merely a funeral—it was a living testament to a legacy that stretched across seven decades. As the service concluded and the designer was laid to rest in a family chapel, the fashion world stepped back into the Roman winter light carrying something indelible: the certainty that Valentino’s elegance, like his famous red, will remain forever vivid.

Rest in peace, Maestro. The runway may be empty tonight, but your dresses still dance.