Valentino Garavani’s star-studded funeral was attended by Anne Hathaway, Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace, Elizabeth Hurley and more.
Legendary designer Valentino Garavani dies at age 93
Valentino Garavani, one of Italy’s leading designers, has died at the age of 93 at his home in Rome, leaving behind an enduring legacy in the fashion world, according to his Instagram.
Italian haute couture “emperor” Valentino Garavani was buried in Rome on Friday.
Some of the biggest names in fashion, including Donatella Versace, Tom Ford and Maria Grazia Chiuri, flocked to the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, designed by Michelangelo and built on the site of an ancient Roman bath.
The Italian fashion designer passed away at the age of 93 on January 19th at his home in Rome. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
The star-studded service attracted famous actresses such as Anne Hathaway and Elizabeth Hurley, who had just appeared in court. Olivia Palermo and fashion’s kingmaker Anna Wintour were also in attendance.
“It has been an extraordinary privilege for me to have known, loved and cared for the great Valentino Garavani for the past 20 years,” Hathaway wrote in a tribute on social media after the designer’s death. “He’s a beloved, world-renowned designer titan, but he’s also my dearest friend who has taught me and raised me, sent me flowers every year on my birthday, made me laugh, been my dance and karaoke partner for fun nights, and made my world far brighter, grander, and funnier than I ever imagined.”
The founder of his eponymous brand, Valentino, retired from design in 2008 after a storied career in fashion that included dressing such luminaries as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Joan Collins, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Penelope Cruz and Sharon Stone. He also introduced a signature deep red shade with orange accents, known as “Valentino Red.”
The unique red he championed in his collection reverberated in splashes of crimson among the many black-clad mourners.
Wearing sharply tailored black satin suits, co-founder Giancarlo Gianmetti and Bruce Hoksema, the designer’s last partner, accompanied the plain wood coffin into the church, drawing applause from the crowd outside.
“Through him, I discovered beauty, which followed us throughout our lives and kept us busy. We met in childhood, had the same dreams, and some of them, I was able to realize many of them,” Giametti said in his eulogy.
“Valentino, you were not the one I spoke to, you were the one I spoke to. You were there for me when words weren’t needed. Life wasn’t always perfect, but it was real. Over 40 years, one day at a time,” Hoksema said in an impromptu speech.
Valentino’s current creative director Alessandro Michele, his predecessor Pierpaolo Piccioli, and the company’s CEO Riccardo Bellini also attended. French billionaire François-Henri Pinault and Antoine Arnault, the eldest son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault, were among those mourning.
After the designer’s death, Michele wrote an essay in Vogue magazine saying, “He was almost a mythical figure to me.” Piccioli also paid tribute to Valentino in the magazine, calling him “the most reliable person I have ever met.”
Hundreds of people gathered both outside and inside the cathedral, famous for its marble walls and columns in a darker red than Valentino’s. White flowers adorned the altar, and a black-and-white photo of Valentino was placed next to the coffin.
There were glimpses of red in the bleachers: hats, scarves, bright carmine coats, wool shawls.
More than 10,000 people paid tribute to Valentino on Wednesday and Thursday. Valentino was laid to rest in Rome’s Piazza Mignanelli, next to his fashion house’s historic headquarters and a stone’s throw from the city’s iconic Spanish Steps.
A private burial will follow after the memorial service.
Contributor: Reuters; Kim Willis, USA TODAY
