The fashion world gathered in Rome this week to say a final goodbye to Valentino Garavani, turning his funeral into a rare, old‑Hollywood‑style moment of collective mourning. The service was held at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, where crowds filled the piazza outside as editors, supermodels, designers, and actors filed past cameras and into the church. Mourners leaned into Valentino’s legacy with sharply tailored black coats, archival gowns and flashes of his signature “Valentino red,” making the farewell feel like one last runway show in his honor.
Inside, readings and eulogies focused on the designer’s six‑decade career, from dressing Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts to modern red‑carpet regulars, and on the way his atelier defined a certain idea of Roman glamour. Reports highlight appearances by Anna Wintour, Elizabeth Hurley and longtime house collaborators, who framed him as one of the last great couturiers from a more formal fashion era. Several speakers emphasized how his work outlived trends and how the Valentino name remained shorthand for elegance long after he stepped back from day‑to‑day design.
Coverage has presented the Rome funeral as both a goodbye and a bridge between generations, with younger stars standing alongside the “Valentino generation” of editors and socialites who came of age in his gowns. Obituaries note that the brand he founded will keep moving under newer creative directors, but argue that the Roman send‑off underlined how tightly his personal eye was woven into modern celebrity style. For photos and further details from the service, see People’s report on Valentino’s star‑studded funeral in Rome.