The fashion world bid a final farewell to the iconic Italian designer Valentino Garavani as his funeral was held in Rome on Friday. Mourners, including A-list celebrities and industry luminaries, gathered at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs to pay their respects to the man who had defined elegance and glamour for decades.
Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, actress Elizabeth Hurley, and her son Damian were among the high-profile attendees who came to honour Valentino’s remarkable life and career. Actress Anne Hathaway, a long-time admirer of the designer, was spotted arriving at the ceremony wearing a black Valentino coat adorned with ruffles.
The service was a testament to Valentino’s enduring impact on the fashion landscape. Over the course of his illustrious career, which spanned from the 1950s until his retirement in 2008, the designer became synonymous with dressing the rich and famous, catering to a clientele that included the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, and Princess Diana.
Valentino’s signature “Valentino red” was prominently featured, with mourners carrying red ribbons in his honour. Fellow Italian designers Donatella Versace and Tom Ford were also in attendance, paying tribute to their esteemed colleague.
As the coffin was carried into the basilica to the sound of Mozart, the designer’s partner, Bruce Hoeksema, and his business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, walked alongside. White roses and lilies surrounded the casket, a fitting farewell to a man whose creations had graced countless red carpets and social events.
Although Valentino retired in 2008, the fashion world is expected to honour his legacy with a special couture show in Paris at the end of January, serving as a final industry salute to the “last emperor of Italian fashion.”
The outpouring of grief and admiration from the fashion community is a testament to Valentino’s enduring impact and the indelible mark he left on the industry. As the designer’s ashes are interred at Rome’s Flaminio Cemetery, his legacy will continue to inspire and influence generations of fashion enthusiasts and designers to come.
