When Iran's Last Princess Farah Pahlavi Escaped Tehran In 1979 In A Valentino Coat

Valentino Garavani's death has reopened conversations around the designer's rare ability to dress history as it unfolded.

While much has been written about his gowns on red carpets and in palaces, one of the most arresting moments linked to his legacy did not take place at a gala or a royal wedding, but at the Tehran airport. It happened on January 16, 1979, as Iran stood on the brink of revolution and when Farah Pahlavi, the last empress of Iran, fled Tehran alongside her husband, wearing a Valentino coat and a matching fur hat.

Who Is Farah Pahlavi?

Born Farah Diba in Tehran in 1938, Farah Pahlavi became empress of Iran in 1967 after marrying Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. She was the first Iranian woman to be crowned empress and quickly emerged as a cultural force in her own right.

A patron of the arts, architecture and education, she played a significant role in positioning Iran as a modern nation during the Shah's reign. Her public image combined authority with cosmopolitan elegance, making her one of the most photographed royal women of her time.

That carefully constructed life unravelled in 1979 as protests against the monarchy intensified in Iran. With the revolution gaining momentum and their safety under threat, the Shah and Farah were forced to leave Iran, beginning a long and painful exile that would take them across multiple countries. It was during this hurried and humiliating departure that fashion quietly entered the frame.

The Valentino Coat Worn Into Exile

On the day she left Tehran, Farah Pahlavi chose to wear a sable-coloured Valentino coat, paired with a fur hat by the designer. According to Wmagazine, this decision was made so that she "could hold her head up high on a terrible day".

Farah and the Shah left Ira in January 1979 under the threat of a death sentence. Photo: Wikicommons

The image of an empress leaving her country dressed in couture captured Valentino's understanding of clothing as a form of strength, particularly for women in power.

Farah: A 'Val's Gal'

During her later years, Farah Pahlavi frequently wore Valentino designs and attended his fashion shows (she attended his major events, including his 2016 retirement show and the 2008 "Valentino in Rome" gala, where she praised his generosity and down-to-earth nature backstage), yet her bond with the designer extended far beyond mere style.

Farah Pahlavi frequently wore Valentino designs. Photo: Pinterest

She remained a loyal supporter of the designer for decades, attending shows and speaking warmly about him in interviews.

At Valentino's farewell couture show in 2008, she sat beside him backstage in a makeshift living room set up amid the organised chaos of the atelier. It was there that she spoke candidly about their bond.

"For 45 years, I've never seen Valentino with a hair out of place. He's amazing," she said, adding, "He has a good heart; he's generous." Her words captured how those closest to him viewed the designer, not just as a couturier, but as a deeply human presence in an industry often defined by spectacle.

In a Time article, she was once referred to as a "Val's Gal", a term used to describe women who consistently turned to Valentino for moments of importance. The label may sound light-hearted, but it underscores a serious truth: his clients trusted him implicitly, especially when dressing for history rather than fashion cycles.

READ MORE: Left Iran At 9, Found Dead In London Hotel At 31: The Tragic Story Of Princess Leila Pahlavi

READ MORE: How Valentino, The 'Last Emperor' Of Fashion, Became The Go-To Designer For Royals And First Ladies