Paris mourns Valentino, the last titan of couture’s golden age

Fashion Icon Valentino Garavani’s Death Marks End of an Era as Paris Fashion Week Opens

The death of legendary designer Valentino Garavani cast a somber mood over the opening of Paris Fashion Week menswear on Tuesday, as the fashion world mourned one of the last titans of 20th-century haute couture. The Italian maestro, who died at 93 in his Rome residence, had built an enduring legacy that bridged Italian elegance with Parisian high fashion.

“He was one of the last big couturiers who really embodied what was fashion in the 20th century,” reflected Pierre Groppo, fashion editor-in-chief at Vanity Fair France. On a day typically focused on future trends, many attendees found themselves contemplating fashion’s past and the gradual disappearance of an era when designers became living institutions.

Valentino’s vision was disarmingly simple yet profoundly effective: make women look luminous, then transform that moment into something unforgettable. His distinctive signature elements—the dots, the ruffles, the knots—became instantly recognizable worldwide, as did his legendary “Valentino red,” a vibrant crimson hue that became synonymous with his brand.

Through his decades-long partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino helped redefine the role of the designer, making himself as recognizable as the celebrities he dressed. His clientele included icons like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor, figures whose public image became intertwined with his creations.

Prominent fashion writer Luke Leitch described Valentino as “the last of the fashion leviathans of that generation,” suggesting his passing marks the definitive end of an era when designers could build global empires on personal authority rather than viral moments. Unlike today’s fast-paced fashion environment, Valentino’s influence stemmed from permanence and timeless elegance.

Though Italian by birth, Valentino received his training in Paris before founding his maison in Rome. This dual heritage positioned him as a unique bridge between two fashion capitals, bringing Roman grandeur into Paris’s prestigious couture system. Even in his later years, he maintained a faithful presence at his house’s shows, radiating dignified elegance from his front-row seat until gradually retreating from public view.

“It’s quite sad as he’s so important to the fashion industry, and he contributed a lot. I cannot forget the stunning red he created,” said Lolo Zhang, a Chinese fashion influencer attending Louis Vuitton’s Paris show. “He always celebrated pure beauty, and architecture for the silhouette, and how he used color. The old era just passed by.”

For many industry insiders, Valentino represented more than just beautiful clothing. Guy-Claude Agboton, deputy editor of Ideat magazine, observed: “There are some people who want to be Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel… There are also people who are spontaneously Valentino. It’s a question of identity.”

Fashion observer Benedict Epinay spoke of the emotional impact of Valentino’s final runway show: “It was such a great moment. I was lucky enough to attend the last show he gave. It was so moving because we knew at that time it was the last show.”

What particularly distinguished Valentino in today’s fashion landscape was his commitment to restraint in an era that often rewards noise. Arfan Ghani highlighted the designer’s “classy” standards and use of “classical materials” that avoided the loud branding common in contemporary fashion houses.

Paris-based sculptor Ranti Bam offered perhaps the most profound assessment, describing Valentino in sculptural terms: “As a sculptor I saw Valentino as an artist. He transcended fashion into sculpture. He didn’t follow trends, he pursued form. That’s why his work doesn’t date, it endures.”

While the house of Valentino continues under new leadership and design direction—still showcasing collections in Paris—the fashion world paused on Tuesday to recognize that something irreplaceable had been lost. In Valentino’s passing, they mourned not just a designer but an entire approach to fashion: one built on timeless beauty, meticulous craftsmanship, and the belief that true elegance never goes out of style.