Rome just hosted a funeral that probably had a stricter dress code than your local nightclub. The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels was packed with white roses and enough high fashion royalty to make a Vogue editor sweat. Everyone gathered to say a final goodbye to Valentino, the legendary designer who hopped off the mortal coil at the ripe old age of 93.
Valentino Garavani did not just make clothes. He basically invented a shade of red and then spent decades making the rest of us feel slightly underdressed. He spent his career dressing the most elegant women on the planet, including Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana. If you were anyone in Hollywood, you didn’t just wear a dress. You wore a Valentino.
A Guest List to Die For
The funeral was a sea of black, but because fashion people cannot help themselves, many mourners added a splash of his signature “Valentino Red.” We saw red hats, scarves, and shawls everywhere. Anne Hathaway showed up with her husband, looking as polished as ever. She even shared that they used to do karaoke together. It is quite a thought to imagine a fashion titan like Valentino trying to hit the high notes of a power ballad after a glass of bubbly.
The Emperor of Elegance
One 81 year old fan at the service, Francesco Sangiovanni, told the crowd that we will never see class like this again. He is probably right. Valentino brought Italian style to the global stage and conquered it with sheer refinement. Even his exit was grand. His coffin was on public display at his foundation in Rome for two days before the service. It gave everyone a chance to pay respects to the man who made the world a bit brighter and significantly more expensive.
The Final Stitch
Valentino was known as “The Emperor,” and he certainly lived up to the name. He didn’t just follow trends. He ignored them and made his own. From Elizabeth Taylor to Gwyneth Paltrow, he made sure every woman he dressed looked like she owned the room. Now he rests surrounded by the eternal beauty of Rome, which is a fairly fitting end for a man who hated anything ugly.
The fashion world feels a bit smaller today, and certainly a lot less red. We can only hope he is currently redesigning the angels’ wings to be a bit more “haute couture.”
Always remember that if in doubt, wear red and act like you own the place.
Related topics: Europe
