Valentino’s Death Signals End of an Era in How Wealth Was Dressed

Valentino Garavani, the Italian fashion designer, died on Monday at 93, a passing that critics say marks the end of an era not only in fashion but in the way the wealthy presented themselves. His work has been described as elegant, beautiful, feminine and glamorous, and the notion of “rich” was a recurring but complicated hallmark of his style.

Valentino’s clothes were structured rather than relaxed, with a reliance on carefully placed ruffles, bows and the signature ruby color; they were meant for charity luncheons, Gstaad and opening nights at La Scala and, in his view, offered a kind of tasteful protection against public scrutiny.

He built a personal realm as much as a brand with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti, dressing royalty and celebrities — including Jacqueline Kennedy, Queen Máxima, Marie-Chantal Miller, Princess Rosario of Bulgaria, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Hathaway, Imelda Marcos, Farah Pahlavi and Susan Gutfreund.

He owned multiple homes and a yacht, chief among them Château de Wideville outside Paris; he maintained a strict personal style, traveling with an entourage and a separate car for suitcases, keeping five pugs and collecting china for 40 years.

Key Topics

Culture, Valentino Garavani, Giancarlo Giammetti, Château De Wideville, Jacqueline Kennedy, Queen Máxima