Goodbye to Italian fashion legends Valentino Garavani and Giorgio Armani

In the past few months, the world of fashion has lost not one but two great 20th-century icons, both of whom happened to also be Italian. With the passing of Valentino Garavani and Giorgio Armani, it feels as if high fashion has truly reached the end of the era of the superstar designer whose eponymous label could readily outlive its initial human creator.

First, in September last year, Giorgio Armani died at 91, leaving behind a fashion empire of epic proportions: his personal fortune was estimated to be worth around $9.6-billion. Characteristically, Armani – an exceptional businessman whose label was almost wholly owned by himself, in addition to him being an immensely talented designer – left a will containing detailed instructions as to precisely what he wished to be done with his eponymous company after his death.

And then, this past week it was announced that Valentino Garavani, the designer whose label is mostly simply known as “Valentino”, had passed away at the age of 93. An outpouring of love followed for a designer who was perhaps less of a household name than his compatriot, but absolutely revered in the upper echelons of the fashion world. “So you decided it was time. I can accept your absence, but never your death,” wrote designer Pier Paulo Piccioli – who has previously been creative director at Valentino and currently holds the same position at Balenciaga – in an Instagram post that has garnered well over 140,000 likes.

Valentino: bold glamour

So what was Valentino all about? Old-fashioned feminine sensuality and gilded splendour were hallmarks of the designer’s oeuvre over the decades since his label was founded in 1959.

Celebrities, movie stars and supermodels from Jackie Onassis to JLo all adored him and his work, and his perfectly fitted frocks were a regular feature of red carpets around the world. He also loved colour, most especially a bold red hue that became his signature.

Armani: effortless elegance

Having grown up in modest circumstances during the Second World War, Giorgio Armani initially wanted to become a doctor, but ended up working as a designer at Cerruti 1881 before founding his own label in 1975.

He soon became known for a pared-back, minimalist look for both men’s and women’s clothing, designing clean-lined yet supremely elegant suits for both sexes that everyone coveted and that – via his work on Hollywood films such as American Gigolo (1980), which also made a young Richard Gere instantly famous – rapidly gained him a large and devoted clientele.

The rest is megabrand history, with the Armani label encompassing everything from couture collections to sportswear, beauty and fragrance ranges, a homeware collection and even hotels. What’s especially remarkable is the way none of the brand extensions have ever detracted from the supremely sophisticated overall image of the brand. Testimony to the unique and all-encompassing vision of its founder and controller…

The next generation?

Picking up the mantle of these recently lost legends might seem like an impossible task… but the good news is, it isn’t. In the realms of both sleek minimalism on the one hand, and full-on glam on the other, there’s a new generation of designers already taking on the task of creating similarly gorgeous sartorial offerings to those of Armani and Valentino in the second quarter of the 21st century.

Pier Paulo Piccioli’s Balenciaga: fabulously feminine

When Valentino Garavani retired in 2008, Pier Paulo Piccioli became one of the two co-creative directors of the brand, along with Maria Grazia Chiuri. In 2024, he moved to Balenciaga – another storied couture house that has recently been known for a seriously edgy, contemporary look.

Just two collections into his tenure at Balenciaga, Piccioli is being hailed (again) as a designer who brings a glamorous and colourful feel to his work – a powerful yet feminine resonance defines his aesthetic, and in this he is very much Valentino’s 21st-century successor. “Sublime gowns,” gushed Vogue, while influential online fashion magazine CR Fashion Book wrote “Piccioli’s Balenciaga beats with feeling – cerebral, sculptural, and undeniably human.”

The Row: sleek, luxurious minimalism

Of course, the fashion behemoth that is Armani isn’t going anywhere – the brand continues to create clothing, accessories and homewares galore. But for an ultra-exclusive take on luxurious minimalism, look no further than The Row.

Yes, the brand started by child actresses Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen is not only a remarkable 20 years old in 2026, it’s also the go-to label for women in search of perfectly cut classic pieces made from the finest materials. Their jackets and coats, in particular, are the stuff of most of the Currency Pleasure team’s sartorial dreams – and did we mention that the twins’ niche fashion label is currently estimated to be worth a cool $1-billion?

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_{Top image: Valentino and Armani on the catwalk. Pictures: Getty Images collage}