Valentino Garavani, often referred to as Italy's fashion emperor, died on January 19, 2026, in Rome. He was 93 and surrounded by his loved ones at his Roman residence.
The lying in state will be held on January 21, while the funeral will take place on January 23. Born on May 11, 1932, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani has left an indelible mark on the fashion world. The maestro also left behind an inheritance of $1.5 billion.
Valentino Garavani's Career And A Company Worth Billions Of Dollars
The legend was named after Rudolph Valentino, an Italian actor. He is known to have developed an interest in fashion while still in primary school in Voghera, Lombardy, Italy. He even apprenticed under his aunt Rosa and a local designer, Ernestina Salvadeo.
At the age of 18, Valentino Garavani moved to Paris to study at Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture. He was only 19 when he secured an apprenticeship under Jean Desses, an Egyptian designer, and assisted by sketching ideas for dresses.
After five years, Valentino Garavani left Desses and returned to Italy to establish himself in Rome. He worked with Italian designers Emilio Schuberth and Vincenzo Ferdinandi before opening his atelier in 1960 with the support of his father and a business associate.
Around this time, Italy was emerging as the hub for style, and Valentino's elegant craft quickly took over the landscape.
Valentino Garavani's Empire
In July 1960, Valentino Garavani met Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome. He was studying architecture. Shortly after, Giancarlo Giammetti left his studies and became Valentino Garavani's business and life partner.
When the two legends shook hands, nothing could slow them down. They were taking risks and spending a lot. His father's associate withdrew from the business, leaving Valentino on the verge of bankruptcy within a year. However, his international debut in Florence in 1962 changed the game.
His collection impressed the international buyers, including the former first lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy, who reportedly ordered six haute couture dresses, all black and white. She wore them while mourning President John F. Kennedy following his assassination. She even chose to wear a custom ensemble by Valentino Garavani for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis.
Valentino Garavani emerged as the most sought-after fashion designer among international elites, bureaucrats, and celebrities. His couture was prestigious, ready-to-wear lines were a hit among fashion enthusiasts, and accessories and fragrances helped him and his partner scale the business to new heights.
His clientele included big names like Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, and Sophia Loren, among others. Time and again, Indian celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Ranveer Singh, Kiara Advani, and Kriti Sanon have been spotted in custom Valentino outfits.
From the 1960s to the 1990s, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti ruled the fashion world. In 1998, the duo sold Valentino for approximately $300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate.
In September 2007, Valentino Garavani announced that he would retire in January 2008 after his last haute couture show in Paris, which received a standing ovation from the audience. The names of prestigious guests included Nadja Auermann, Naomi Campbell, Karen Mulder, and Claudia Schiffer.
While the maestro retired, he continued to earn millions of dollars through his investments, royalties, passive income, and asset appreciation, according to CEO Today Magazine.
Valentino Garavani's Assets And Inheritance
Reportedly, Valentino Garavani had a net worth of $1.5 billion, which included not just his earnings from his brand, even after retirement, but also his real estate portfolio. According to the magazine, he owned a Roman villa, a chateau in France, a 19th-century mansion in London, a Swiss chalet, and a penthouse in Manhattan.
He was not the one to invest in tech, but he favoured art, cultural foundations, architecture, and real estate. In 1990, he founded the Accademia Valentino, a cultural space in Rome which was specifically designed to host philanthropic events and exhibitions.
Since Valentino Garavani had no kids, the magazine reported that his estate was structured through private trusts with Giancarlo Giammetti. Cross-border asset planning and Italian inheritance law formed the framework to preserve Valentino Garavani's legacy and wealth.
Valentino Garavani's cultural legacy will live on through the elegant silhouettes he designed.
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