Fashion Legend Valentino Garavani Dies at 93

Valentino Garavani — the singular fashion talent generally known simply as “Valentino” — died on January 19, 2026, at his home in Rome, at the age of 93, as per The New York Times. A cause of death was not immediately given.

Born on May 11, 1923, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was named after acting legend Rudolph Valentino, and quickly began a similarly glamorous life, starting his fashion career in Paris in the 1950s, where he apprenticed with numerous fashion houses, including Balenciaga. In 1960, he returned to Italy and opened his own fashion house in Rome; Elizabeth Taylor was an early champion of his work and wore one of his gowns to the 1960 premiere of Spartacus.