'True maestro': Tributes pour in for Italian designer Valentino

Tributes poured in Monday for Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer who dressed some of the world's most elegant women, following his death aged 93.

"This feels like the end of an era. He will be deeply missed," wrote actor Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram, alongside a photo of her kissing Valentino on the cheek.

She recalled a man "in love with beauty, his family, his muses, his friends" -- and who "always pestered me to 'at least wear a little mascara' when I came to dinner".

Valentino's death comes just months after the passing of another Italian style legend, Giorgio Armani, and tributes came from the global fashion world and beyond.

"Today, we lost a true maestro who will forever be remembered for his art," wrote Donatella Versace on Instagram.

Supermodel Cindy Crawford said she was "heartbroken", saying Valentino was "a true master of his craft".

Sophia Loren recalled his "kind soul, full of humanity", in a statement carried by Italian news agency ANSA.

"You were a friend, and your art and passion will forever remain a source of inspiration," she wrote.

One of the top designers of his era, Valentino's creations were worn by the who's who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor and Nancy Reagan through to Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts.

He was best known for his gowns in deep rich "Valentino red".

"Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones," his foundation said in a statement.

A funeral is planned for Friday in the Italian capital, and there will be a lying in state at his company headquarters near the Spanish Steps on Wednesday and Thursday.

On the catwalk and in his own life, Valentino exuded luxury down to the last detail of his immaculate hairdo and caramel tan, often photographed with his pug dogs at his side.

Dubbed "The Last Emperor" in a 2008 film about his life and his final collection, he dressed generations of the world's rich and powerful.

He was responsible for some of the most iconic red carpet outfits, notably the black-and-white dress worn by Roberts when she won an Oscar in 2001 for her performance in "Erin Brockovich".

"He was the creator of a refined, radiant and sumptuous fashion, defined by generous draping, which he inseparably wove together with cinema," said Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of luxury group LVMH.

Valentino's creative director Alessandro Michele celebrated him as "a central figure in the history of Italian culture".

He said Valentino had "widened the boundaries of what is possible, crossing the world with a rare sensibility, a silent rigour and an unbounded love of beauty".

Luca de Meo, chief executive of French luxury giant Kering, praised him as "an exceptional creator" who "embodied a sense of style that has profoundly shaped our collective imagination".

Kering took a 30 per cent stake in the Valentino brand in 2023, with the rest owned by Qatar investment fund Mayhoola.

Valentino was born on 11 May, 1932, in Voghera, a small town south of Milan. His father owned an electric cables business.

After training and working in Paris, he opened his own fashion house in 1960 in Rome.

A meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 would prove decisive for his career.

He transformed her wardrobe, and in 1968 she picked an ivory-coloured lace dress from his famous white collection for her second marriage to Greek shipping mogul Aristotle Onassis.

It caused a sensation in the United States, and in 1970, Valentino was the first Italian designer to open a shop in New York.

Over the years he would elevate the "Made in Italy" label to global prominence, assisted by his lover Giancarlo Giammetti.

The London department store Harrods celebrated him in a statement as "one of the last true titans of fashion".