Valentino Garavani passed away this Monday after a remarkable career of mixing elegance with an incomparable expertise in couture.
The designer passed after 93 years, 48 of which were spent changing the face of fashion through extremely notable designs such as “Valentino Red.”
Garavani became captivated with the color red at a Barcelona opera when a woman in red caught his eye. This began the unimaginable legacy, per Style.
“Enthralled, I saw a woman with grey hair in one of the boxes, very beautiful, dressed in red velvet,” Garavani said. “Among all the colours worn by the other women, she looked unique, isolated in her splendor. I told myself that if I were ever going to become a designer, I would do lots of red.”
Garavani opened his first atelier in 1959 and the first ever ‘Valentino Red’ dress, La Fiesta, appeared in his first Spring-Summer 1959 collection, according to Glam Observer.
Garavani’s legacy also grew through his incredible dedication to stylistic femininity. According to L’OFFICIEL, Garavani was inspired by the movie “Ziegfeld Girl” when he was 13 years-old. The movie’s portrayal of the beauty of feminine nature sculpted his desire to be a designer.
Garavani embraced femininity through detailed embroidery, beautiful bows, eye-catching embellishment and dainty lace. Florals were also a large part of Garavani’s work, the designer often covering dresses with cascading flowers.
It took Garavani no time to connect with celebrity status and Hollywood life.
He designed a variety of patterns and fashion staples for old Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, according to an article by James Grissom.
Shortly after, Jackie Kennedy became a major client and muse for Garavani, and they developed an iconic relationship based in design. After the death of President Kennedy, she started investing in his pieces.
For Kennedy’s second wedding in 1968, she chose a white, laced wedding dress from Garavani’s all white collection, “Sfilata Bianca,” according to Parade.
According to Wionews, Princess Diana also became a notable client of Garavani’s. She wore his pieces for major events, parties and even a Paul McCartney concert.
The two began to develop a personal relationship that grew beyond their client relations. They often yachted together and time drew them close. While the two had a notorious falling-out, the details were kept private; mystery was a much loved element of Garavani’s private life.
Gwenyth Paltrow grew a similar bond with Garavani in the late 90s. Paltrow wore a solid pink dress designed by Garavani to the Oscars in 1999, where she won her first Oscar on the same night. She often donned his iconic looks and became a prominent client, according to Parade.
Garavani dressed many stars throughout his entire life. More clients include Anne Hathway, Florence Pugh, Zendaya and Julia Roberts.
Garavani will be remembered for designing elegant pieces, forming strong bonds with his clients, dressing A-List stars and for his devotion to beauty.
As Garavani famously said, “I love beauty. It is not my fault. And I know what women want: they want to be beautiful.”
