Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93 at his home in Rome, leaving behind a legacy that shaped modern couture. From dressing royalty to celebrities, Valentino’s gowns became a mainstay on red carpets.

Known as the “Last Emperor” of fashion, his passing has prompted tributes from across the industry and beyond. Kering CEO Luca de Meo described Valentino as someone who “elevated elegance into a universal language, blending tradition and audacity with rare precision,” adding that his legacy remains “one of the strongest expressions of Italian culture.”

Donatella Versace said he “will forever be remembered for his art,” while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called him an “eternal symbol of Italian haute couture,” saying Italy had lost a legend whose “legacy would continue to inspire generations.”

Actresses and fashion icons he dressed also paid tribute. Gwyneth Paltrow said she was “so lucky to know and love Valentino — to know the real man, in private,” adding that she would always remember “his naughty laugh.” Singer and former model Carla Bruni said she would remember his “great kindness and infinite elegance.”

As the fashion world reflects on his life, here are five of Valentino’s most unforgettable creations.

Julia Roberts delivered one of the most memorable red-carpet moments when she wore a black-and-white Valentino gown to the 2001 Academy Awards. The look stood out for its sheer black tulle and elegant bow details, which have become known as a core DNA element of the brand. The dress has become one of Valentino's most celebrated looks as she graced the stage to pick up the Academy Award of Merit for her performance in Erin Brockovich.

Every designer has a muse, and for Valentino, that muse was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the former first lady of the United States. Following the death of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, she fell in love with his brand and purchased six dresses, which she wore in public over the course of a year. One of her most memorable looks was a teal silk-satin, one-shouldered evening gown worn to a dinner at Chamkar Mon Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1967. The dress continued to inspire Valentino gowns for decades and became one of the fashion empire’s most iconic designs.

Few designs are as synonymous with Valentino as the iconic red dress. It first appeared in the Spring/Summer 1959 collection, in a design called the Fiesta. The dress is said to be inspired by a night at the opera, where a teenage Valentino was mesmerised by actors all dressed in red for Carmen. Over seven decades, the colour became known as “Valentino red” and a siren call for Hollywood’s elite. At the 2011 Oscars, actress Anne Hathaway wore an off-shoulder red gown with a long train on the red carpet—a dress that will forever be remembered in fashion history.

Long gowns were not the only creations that brought Valentino fame. In 1992, one of Princess Diana’s most iconic appearances came when she wore a burgundy velvet and lace dress, falling just below the knee to a gala in London. Beyond their professional relationship, Diana and Valentino also shared a close friendship that lasted for many years.

In 1968, Valentino unveiled his "White Collection" which has become known as one of his most influential collections. In the late '60s, while other designers were leaning into psychedelic patterns and neon colors, Valentino took a radical turn toward monochromatic purity. This collection is famous for the wedding dress for Jacqueline Kennedy's marriage to Aristotle Onassis. It was a short, ivory lace dress with a high neck and long sleeves that became one of the most photographed dresses in history. Elizabeth Taylor also helped popularize this collection. For the Rome premiere of her film Spartacus, she was originally supposed to wear a Dior dress but instead chose a Valentino gown. It was a white, Grecian-style flowing silk gown, heavily adorned with feathers at the hem and shoulders, arguably one of the most important dresses in the history of the Maison.

In 2008, Valentino announced his retirement with a farewell collection, which stood out as a summation of his life’s work. These final designs proved that his creations were not merely retrospective, but a reaffirmation that his work is a testament to timeless elegance.