The fashion world is mourning the loss of its most romantic architect.
Valentino Garavani, the legendary couturier who famously declared, “I love beauty, it’s not my fault,” passed away peacefully at his home in Rome on January 19 at the age of 93.
While Paris and Milan lose a titan, the Indian fashion fraternity community feels the loss of a kindred spirit.
A legacy painted in ‘Valentino Red’
For Indian designers, Valentino was more than a contemporary; he was a pioneer who proved that bold colour could serve as a brand’s heartbeat.
Gaurav Gupta, designer, shares, “Valentino showed the industry that colour can become identity, memory, and emotion all at once. Valentino Red was not just a shade but a signature and a language that people instantly recognised. He taught us that when a designer commits fully to a visual code, it becomes inseparable from the brand itself. For me, colour has always been a way to tell stories. If people now speak about ‘Gaurav Gupta Blue,’ it is because it reflects my own universe, fluid, futuristic, and expansive.”
Sunil Sethi, FDCI Chairman: “My most vivid memory of Valentino is of flaming red. He was in love with colour just like we Indians are, it is a central part of our celebrations! While Western couture is often dominated by black, the beauty of the Italian designer lay in his tribute to this scarlet hue. It received the perfect homage by being named after him: ‘Valentino Red’ (a recognised Pantone shade)… He was a true maestro who masterfully married femininity with structure.”
Honouring the Indian ‘karigar’
Long before global luxury houses prioritised transparency, Valentino was vocal about his admiration for Indian craftsmanship. His 2002 couture collection was a direct homage to India, but his use of zardozi and aari work dated back decades, always credited with sincerity.
Payal Jain, designer, shares, “Valentino will be remembered with great respect and reverence by the Indian design community for acknowledging Indian embroideries and craft techniques, and for always speaking about them publicly. At a time when many European fashion houses relied heavily on Indian embroidery without credit, Valentino spoke with genuine admiration regarding the skill, patience, and precision of Indian artisans.”
Designer Rahul Mishra shares, “He belonged to a generation that understood the hand instinctively. For him, hand-embroidery was not a trend or a reference, it was the very foundation of couture. His respect for Indian craftsmanship came from a deep awareness of time, patience, and the human spirit behind every stitch. His passing does feel like the end of an era where the handmade was understood without explanation.”
From interns to icons
Valentino’s influence was perhaps most tangible for the young Indian students who witnessed his process firsthand in the 1980s, learning how to drape chiffon and define the female silhouette.
Designer Suneet Varma shares, “I was a young fashion student in London when I first discovered Valentino. I managed to bag an internship and worked on one of his shows when I was only 22. I was absolutely mesmerised by his craftsmanship, his attention to detail, and his understanding of chiffon, drape, and how a woman wanted to be perceived and remembered. He has been a massive inspiration for me.”
As the industry moves toward automated luxury, Valentino’s departure marks the closing of a chapter where the human hand was the ultimate status symbol.
Rahul Mishra adds, “Today, we often have to speak about process, sustainability, and craft. In his time, it was simply assumed, because the hand was the ultimate luxury. The responsibility now lies with us to carry this legacy forward with honesty, to protect the dignity of the artisan, and to ensure that the handmade remains not a narrative, but a way of life.”
