Friends and Fashion Icons Come Together to Honor Valentino at His Rome Funeral
Stars and fashion icons such as Anne Hathaway, Liz Hurley, and Anna Wintour gathered in Rome on Friday to honor the late fashion designer Valentino. He was laid to rest in a poignant ceremony attended by family and friends.
Valentino Garavani passed away peacefully at his Rome residence on January 19 at the age of 93, surrounded by loved ones.
Hathaway, accompanied by her husband Adam Shulman, first met Valentino in 2005 during the filming of *The Devil Wears Prada*, where Valentino made a cameo alongside his long-time friend and business partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Hathaway frequently wore Valentino’s designs on the red carpet, becoming one of his beloved muses.
Other notable attendees at the funeral, held at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs, included model and actress Liz Hurley, her son Damien Hurley, as well as models Claudia Schiffer and Natalia Vodianova.
UK-US fashion editor Anna Wintour arrives at the funeral for late fashion designer Valentino
AFP via Getty Images
Wintour, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue, was also present at the funeral. She is notably recognized as the inspiration behind the character of the demanding fashion editor Miranda Priestly in *The Devil Wears Prada*, portrayed by Meryl Streep.
Fashion luminaries including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino’s former creative director, U.S. designer Tom Ford, and François Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, also paid their respects. Kering owns a 30% stake in Valentino, with an option to acquire the company outright in 2027.
Valentino, originally from Voghera, Italy, rose to prominence as one of the world’s most celebrated fashion designers. Known for his elegance and dramatic flair, he dressed numerous high-profile figures, including Jackie Onassis, Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Barbra Streisand, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Monica Vitti.
