 "Valentino Garavani’s death marks the end of an era: These looks tell the story")
With the passing of Valentino Garavani, fashion loses one of its final true aristocrats. Often described as the last emperor of fashion, Valentino built his empire not through provocation or trend-chasing, but through an unwavering commitment to elegance. Central to that legacy were the women who wore his clothes — Val’s Gals — a constellation that included Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, supermodels of the 1990s, Hollywood royalty and, later, a new generation of stars.
These were not merely clothes, but cultural moments. Here are the Valentino looks that best capture his enduring influence.
Jackie Onassis: The wedding dress and the mint moment
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis occupies a singular place in Valentino’s history. Her decision to wear Valentino, both for her 1968 wedding to Aristotle Onassis and repeatedly thereafter, signalled a shift in global fashion power. The wedding dress announced Valentino as a designer of international consequence, while her mint-coloured daywear crystallised his vision of restrained sophistication. Together, these looks defined an elegance that was intellectual and quietly authoritative.
Valentino Red and Anne Hathaway at the Oscars
Few designers have owned a colour as completely as Valentino owned red. His signature shade became a symbol of confidence rather than spectacle, power rather than seduction. One of his most memorable looks in red was when Anne Hathaway wore a ruched, rosette-detailed Valentino red gown at the Academy Awards. This dress channelled classic Hollywood glamour while remaining unmistakably contemporary.
Naomi, Halle, and a dress that lived twice
In the 1990s, Valentino’s couture found its most powerful expressions through supermodels who could command a garment without overwhelming it. Naomi Campbell’s appearance in the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1995 campaign for Vogue Italia in a low-draped lavender piece captured that balance. Years later, when Halle Berry wore the same gown, it gained a second cultural life, transforming the dress from couture image into red-carpet legend and reinforcing Valentino’s ability to transcend era, body and context.
naomi campbell and halle berry wearing a valentino fw95 gown 💐 pic.twitter.com/hXNe7vvJVV
— DUDA (@saintdemie) August 1, 2023
Quick Reads
View AllPrincess Diana in red
Valentino’s relationship with Princess Diana went beyond styling. The two shared a personal closeness that was often visible, from private gatherings to public appearances, lending added resonance to the clothes he designed for her. Her burgundy velvet Valentino dress came at a moment when Diana was redefining her public identity, and Valentino responded with a garment that combined authority with ease. It remains one of the clearest examples of how he dressed women, navigating visibility and power at once.
The Valentino wedding dress
Valentino understood weddings as theatre tempered by discipline. His bridal creations dressed European royalty, society figures and cultural icons, establishing a visual language that favoured restraint over excess. Among the most iconic was Elizabeth Taylor, whose pale yellow wedding gown embodied his belief that couture should enhance presence rather than overwhelm it.
Elizabeth Taylor's gorgeous yellow lace wedding gown by Valentino. R.I.P. Valentino, dead at age 93. pic.twitter.com/YJGgeJ3YFd
— Tina Chittom (@ChittomTin10643) January 20, 2026
A dress that refused to age
Linda Evangelista’s appearance in Valentino’s Spring/Summer 1992 show remains one of the defining runway moments of the era. The black-and-white gown, sculptural yet fluid, has since become a part of fashion mythology. Its reappearance decades later on Zendaya, worn for the premiere of Euphoria season two, underscored Valentino’s enduring relevance and the cyclical nature of fashion memory.
rest in peace valentino garavani🕊️ pic.twitter.com/cqRPmyw7FI
— the zendaya collective ✮⋆˙ (@dayacollective) January 19, 2026
A legacy worn, not archived
Valentino Garavani’s greatest achievement was not just dressing famous women, but creating clothes that continued to speak across generations. From Jackie Onassis to Zendaya, his designs travelled through time without losing authority.
As the world mourns his passing, these looks stand as reminders of a fashion philosophy rooted in romance and permanence, qualities increasingly rare in today’s industry.
 "France, Canada & more: How America’s allies are taking on Trump in public over Greenland")
 "'Weaponisation of water': Pak raises alarm at UN over India’s suspension of Indus Waters Treaty")
 "US’ Bessent claims India scaled back Russian oil purchases after tariffs. What’s the truth?")
 "As Trump goes after oil and gas everywhere, he faces a threat — Chinese batteries may soon power the world")
 "France, Canada & more: How America’s allies are taking on Trump in public over Greenland")
 "'Weaponisation of water': Pak raises alarm at UN over India’s suspension of Indus Waters Treaty")
 "US’ Bessent claims India scaled back Russian oil purchases after tariffs. What’s the truth?")
 "As Trump goes after oil and gas everywhere, he faces a threat — Chinese batteries may soon power the world")
