‘True maestro’: tributes flow for fashionisto Valentino
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, fashion designer Donatella Versace and model Cindy Crawford are among the stars paying tribute to Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, who died at the age of 93.
Valentino, who was universally known by his first name, died at his home in Rome on Monday surrounded by his loved ones, according to a joint statement shared on his and his foundation’s Instagram page.
Valentino’s business and life partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, posted his photo on Instagram with the caption “forever”.
Valentino transformed high fashion after co-founding his eponymous luxury brand with Giammetti in the ’60s and became known for his distinctive use of bows, ruffles and lace, as well as the “Valentino Red” hue.
He became synonymous with dressing high society outfits, with Diana, Princess of Wales, actress Elizabeth Taylor and former First Lady of the United States Jackie Kennedy among his clients.
Since then, tributes have poured in from leading figures from different industries, including fashion designer Donatella Versace.
“Today we lost a true master who will be remembered forever for his art. My thoughts go out to Giancarlo (Giammetti), who has never left his side all these years. He will never be forgotten.”
Paltrow, who wore a Valentino dress at her wedding to Brad Falchuk in 2018 as well as a bright pink long-sleeved dress at the 2013 Met Gala, said the news felt like “the end of an era.”
“I’m so lucky to know and love Valentino, to get to know the real man specifically,” she said on Instagram.
“The man who fell in love with beauty, his family, his muses, his friends, his dogs, his gardens and a good Hollywood story.
“This feels like the end of an era. He will be missed dearly by me and everyone who loved him. Rest in peace, Vava.”
Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker also paid tribute to the designer, praising him and the legacy he left behind.
“We are all luckier because of your extraordinary talent, your decadent generosity, and your love of all things beautiful, the grand gestures you share with the world,” he said.
Model Cindy Crawford said she was “heartbroken” in a post on Instagram and described Valentino as a “true master of his craft.”
“I will always be grateful for the years I had the privilege of working closely with him.”
The luxury brand also paid tribute to its co-founder in a post on Instagram, praising her “unique style and innate elegance.”
“We share with our hearts the pain of his loved ones and are determined to preserve and promote the precious creative, cultural and humanitarian legacy he entrusted to us and on which Maison Valentino was founded,” the statement said.
“His life was a beacon in the relentless pursuit of beauty, and guided by that same beauty, we will continue to honor his memory with our deepest devotion.”
Throughout his illustrious career, Valentino has dressed numerous high-status clients, including the Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly, as well as fellow actresses Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren.
Her dresses have become red carpet favorites for Hollywood stars; It has been worn by Sharon Stone, Anne Hathaway, and especially Julia Roberts, who wore a black-and-white vintage Valentino dress to the 2001 Oscars, where she won best actress for the legal drama Erin Brockovich.
Cate Blanchett also won the best supporting actress award for her role in The Aviator, wearing a buttermilk yellow Valentino dress at the 2005 Oscars.
Among those who paid tribute to the fashion designer are model Coco Rocha, who said “fashion has lost another giant”, and Carla Bruni, who said it was an honor and privilege to know Valentino and model for him.
Meanwhile, Euphoria actor and Valentino ambassador Colman Domingo thanked the designer for “inspiring so many people to be beautiful” in a post on Instagram, while American fashion designer Zac Posen described her as “truly one of a kind.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the first to pay tribute to the fashion designer, describing him in a post on X as “the undisputed master of style and elegance”, adding that he was “the eternal symbol of Italian luxury fashion”.
“Today Italy loses a legend, but his legacy will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for everything.”
Valentino’s work and impact on the fashion industry was recognized in 2006 when he received France’s highest honour, the Legion d’honneur.
The designer announced his retirement in 2007, two months after hosting a lavish three-day celebration in Rome with a huge celebrity turnout to celebrate his 45th year in the fashion industry.
Valentino will lie in state at the foundation’s headquarters in Piazza Mignanelli on Wednesday and Thursday, before his funeral on Friday in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs in Rome’s Piazza della Repubblica.
via Reuters
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