at his home in Rome. Not just a great designer died with him. A chapter in world fashion has finally closed. The last great couturier of the 20th century has died, the man who embodied haute couture not only as an art, but as a lifestyle, as a value system, as a vision of beauty.
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, Italy. He owes his name to his mother, Teresa de Biaggi, who named him in honor of the silent film idol Rudolph Valentino. From a very young age she showed an appeal in fashion. As a child, he apprenticed with his aunt Rosa and the local seamstress Ernestina Salvadeo. His parents, Teresa and Mauro Garavani, recognized his talent early and fully supported him.
At the age of 17, he moved to Paris, the absolute center of fashion at that time. She studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the legendary Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, acquiring a rigorous academic education in tailoring and construction. He apprenticed alongside great creators such as Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, while coming into contact with the spirit of French haute couture that would forever define his work: discipline, perfection, magnificence.
In 1959 he returned to Italy and settled in Rome. In 1960 he opened his first house in Via Condotti. This is no ordinary atelier, but a regular maison de couture, with models flown in from Paris for its shows. From the beginning, Valentino stands out for theatricality, sophistication and – above all – for red. “Valentino Red” is not just a color. It is a symbol of passion, Italian soul, love, power.
