Valentino Garavani dies at 93: Italian fashion designer and couturier Valentino Garavani has passed away at age of 93. The haute couture giant was one of the last ‘fashion emperors’ with the Valentino fashion house in 1960 and was often compared to contemporary Giorgio Armani, who passed away in 2025. According to the official statement, Valentino breathed his last peacefully, in his Roman home, ‘surrounded by the love of his family.’
The couturier for royalty, Hollywood, and A-list celebrities, Valentino is known for his signature pieces like the ‘Valentino Red’ – a moment forever sealed in fashion history. The iconic ‘V’ will shine even brighter, looking back at the decades of legacy he left behind with a net worth of reportedly $1 billion. However, he wasn’t only shaping Hollywood red carpets, but several Bollywood stars adorned his creations, too. Here’s a look at some of the most iconic moments.
Valentino in Bollywood
Several A-list Bollywood stars have stunned cameras in Valentino red carpet moments, and it has been nothing short of glamorous. Displaying the effortless chic on international stages, from Cannes to the Oscars, Bollywood celebrities definitely know how to serve looks on the red carpets.
Kareena Kapoor Khan
For the longest time, Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has been the official heiress to the red-lip aesthetic. She stunned in a vintage Valentino Spring/Summer 1993 ensemble at an event in 2025 for Harper’s Bazaar. Mother of two, ‘Bebo’ grabbed eyeballs with a flowing silhouette with structured shoulders, minimal jewellery, and embodied the clean-girl aesthetic.
Isha Ambani
The female headliner of the Ambani, Isha Ambani, also flaunted the first-ever lehenga made by the Maison Valentino, the gold Valentino Lehenga. She wore it for her wedding reception to Anand Piramal in Mumbai in December 2018.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Finally returning to the Indian screens with Rajamouli’s Varanasi, Bollywood’s ‘desi-girl’, walked the 2023 Met Gala carpet in a signature Valentino gown. She wore a strapless black Maison Valentino gown with a thigh-high slit, with bow details, and white leather gloves. The cape sleeves added drama, flair, and was an ode to Valentino’s iconic creations.
Sonam Kapoor
The OG fashionista of Bollywood, and soon-to-be mother, Sonam Kapoor has also served a Valentino aesthetic in recent years. Walking the carpet at Cannes 2019, she sported a ruffled Valentino gown in soft pastel, evoking a floral exuberance. The ruffles were enhanced by the layered tulle, giving it a fairytale-like oomph, and a retro updo completed the look.
Needless to mention, Bollywood it-girl Deepika Padukone was spotted wearing Valentino before her Louis Vuitton signing.
Who was Valentino Garavani?
Born in Lombardy in May 1932, Valentino Garavani was known for his collections that displayed luxury, wealth, and opulence. At the young age of 17, he moved to Paris to study at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and worked with designers like Jacques Fath, Balenciaga, Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche.
His ‘Valentino Red’ reshaped the label’s global image in 2008. In fact, in 2013, he also designed the wedding dress of Princess Madeleine of Sweden when she married British-American financier Christopher O’Neill. Including his other Hollywood models, leading actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, and Jennifer Lopez have joined the list.
The Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation said that Valentino will be lying in state at Rome’s Piazza Mignanelli between 21 and 22 January. Funeral service for the iconic designer will be held at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs the following day.
