But he finally had a bona fide cinematic moment of his own in 2001, when Julia Roberts accepted her Erin Brockovich Oscar wearing a vintage 1992 Valentino gown, a look he later called one of the happiest moments of his career because “movie stars love my clothes.”

Rome is paying its last tribute to legendary designer Valentino, who made of his high-glamour gowns and trademark shade of red an iconic symbol of Italian elegance.

For red carpets and other formal events, A-listers across the world turned to Garavani when they needed a dress that would turn heads — be it vis-à-vis a seductive red shade, asymmetrical cut, body-skimming silhouette, use of delicate materials such as chiffon, or the inclusion of a cascading cape.

The fashion world lost a legend in Italian designer and magnate Valentino Garavani, who passed away on January 19, 2026 at the age of 93. A statement shared to social media read: "Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by ...

Matt Tyrnauer spent years with the late designer and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti for his documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor.