Fashion
Valentino Garavani Dies at 93: Remembering the Italian Fashion Legend
Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer whose name was synonymous with couture discipline and colour mastery, has died at the age of 93. He passed away in Rome on January 19, 2026, according to an official statement released by the Valentino Garavani & Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation.
Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in Voghera in 1932, he began his career at a time when elegance was still governed by structured tailoring and formal codes. Trained in Milan and Paris, Valentino returned to Italy in the late 1950s to establish his fashion house in Rome, a city whose grandeur and history would remain central to his design approach.
Photo: Shutterstock
By the 1960s, Valentino had had gained international clients, dressing aristocrats, actresses, and first ladies with a carefulness followed strict couture conventions. His work was featured sharp tailoring. Few designers have so successfully balanced excess with discipline, romance with order.
One of his defining signature is the color that became inseparable from his name a distinctive shade of red that was associated with formal evening wear and couture presentation rather than provocation. It was worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Sophia Loren, and later worn by contemporary actresses and public figures extending his cultural relevance across decades of cultural memory.
Photo: Shutterstock
His personal and professional partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, who joined the house in 1960, shaped the business and public image of the house. Together, they built Valentino into one of Italy’s leading Italian couture houses navigating the transition from couture salon to global fashion house while maintaining its couture focus.
Valentino stepped away from active design in 2008, presenting his final collection with a final haute couture collection in Paris that reflected his long-standing emphasis to form and finish. While the house would go on under new creative leadership, his influence remained embedded in its shapes and couture techniques.
Tributes followed from across the fashion industry, film, and global culture, acknowledging not only his aesthetic contributions but his insistence on standards in an increasingly fast-paced industry. Within the fashion industry Valentino represented a belief in fashion as a discipline one shaped by patience, skill, and an understanding of beauty as something constructed, not improvised.
Photo: Centromedicoloira
He is survived by his partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Funeral arrangements will take place in Rome, with plans for a public viewing to be announced. With his passing, fashion loses one of its last true couturiers a designer whose work did not chase relevance, yet never lost it.
For the Fall/Winter 2026 presentation at Gucci during Milan Fashion Week, Demna Gvasalia introduced his first runway collection for the house with a casting lineup built around recognisable cultural figures as much as established runway names. The approach placed celebrity casting at the center of the presentation, highlighting the growing role of celebrities in runway presentations.
The runway featured leading supermodels across different generations. Kate Moss closed the show, while Karlie Kloss returned to the runway for a rare appearance. Emily Ratajkowski and Elsa Hosk added current runway relevance, and Italian runway regular Mariacarla Boscono showed her long-standing presence in Milan runway shows.
The casting also included models known for strong digital followings. Alex Consani and Amelia Gray represented a generation popular through social media and digital campaigns, while Gabbriette Bechtel brought work across music and fashion.
Karlie Kloss: Getty Images
One of the most discussed debuts came from Vivian Jenna Wilson, reflecting the brand’s continued interest in personalities with public recognition beyond traditional modeling paths.
The lineup also included figures from television and music. British television personality Bobby Brazier and rising rapper Nettspend stepped onto the runway, showing the mix of fashion and entertainment in current runway casting.
The mix of established supermodels with emerging figures from digital media and music, Gucci’s first runway under Demna positioned casting as a clear key element of the house’s evolving audience and current audience reach.
Vivian Wilson: Getty Images
Emily Ratajkwoski: Getty Images
Mariacarla Boscono: Getty Images
Elsa Hosk: Getty Images
Alex Consani: Getty Images
Amelia Gray: Getty Images
Gabbriette: Getty Images
Milan Fashion Week 2026 brought its signature street style energy to the city of Milan, where editors, models, and creators displayed their take on street style. The most photographed looks balanced classic neutrals with occasional bold colors. Although a few vibrant pieces appeared, the overall direction embraced neutral palettes.
Layering was a common styling choice in among attendees. Many used blazers and jackets to add structure and dimension to their outfits, while some attendees paired socks with heels or boots, adding a layered look. Jackets were paired with underlayers or matching two-piece sets, showing fashion insiders combined pieces to create layered outfits.
Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
Some attendees experimented with textures. Lightweight fabrics and subtle layering were seen, while denim appeared frequently across outfits. Many embraced coordinated denim pieces, pairing jackets with matching skirts or trousers.
Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
Among the accessories, mini bags appeared consistently, mostly coordinated with other elements of the outfit. Thin belts were used to define the waist. A few attendees opted for shoulder bags.
For those tracking Milan Fashion Week FW26 street style, coordinated denim sets, structured blazers, and earthy tonal dressing were mostly seen. Details such as pairing socks with heels or boots offered a wearable styling tip. As images from the week continue to circulate, these key choices are likely to inspire wardrobe staples for the coming months.
Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
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Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
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Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
Photo: @streetstylespy.dk
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The Met Gala has confirmed its theme for 2026: “Fashion Is Art.” The announcement was made by Vogue on February 23 for the 2026 event.
The dress code accompanies the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, “Costume Art,” which explores the connections between clothing and visual art.
The gala will take place on Monday, May 4, 2026, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It will be co‑chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour.
Met Gala 2026 theme: Fashion isArt
The theme encourages guests to interpret clothing as a form of artistic expression. Rather than specifying a particular style or color palette, the dress code invites guests to show cultural and historical influences. Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, notes that fashion and the human form have long been central to visual culture, which the exhibition seeks to illustrate.
The “Costume Art” exhibition opens to the public on May 10, 2026, in the Costume Institute’s new Condé M. Nast Galleries. It will feature nearly 400 garments displayed alongside artworks from different periods, show the connection between clothing and visual art over time. The show highlights a variety of body types and forms, examining how fashion interacts with art from classical to contemporary contexts.
Photo:Getty Images
Elle Fanning at the 2024 Met Gala
Under this year’s theme, the Met Gala red carpet is expected to display a range of interpretations:
• Designs inspired by historical or contemporary art movements.
• Silhouettes and tailoring that emphasize structure and form.
• Innovative fabrics and details that show design techniques and materials and design concepts.
The emphasis is on interpreting clothing through artistic concepts with creative flexibility.
Photo:Getty Images
Coleman Domingo at the 2025 Met Gala
The 2026 Met Gala and the accompanying exhibition position fashion as an integral part of art history, highlighting the connection between fashion and visual culture between design, craftsmanship, and visual culture.
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