Valentino Garavani, one of the 20th and 21st centuries' greatest icons of fashion, passed away aged 93. Since founding his namesake label in 1960, the designer dressed the likes of Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor, and his sophisticated, hyper-feminine designs that celebrate womanhood in all its forms have gone down in history.
Given his love of extravagance, it should come as no surprise that the legendary figure of haute couture had an impressive property portfolio. Each home was a world of its own, with the gorgeous attention to detail and flair that one would expect. Scroll down to take a look through Valentino Garavani's incredible property portfolio…
While the designer, then just 28 years old, was studying fashion and had just founded his eponymous label, he discovered Capri on a holiday. The island quickly became a source of great inspiration for him, and he spent much time there over the years.
This snapshot of the interiors, taken for House & Garden in June 1991, showcased his gorgeous interiors, including bold red floral wallpaper with matching cushions, and pearl-inlaid furniture. Glamorous!
Rome is arguably the home of both Valentino the man, and Valentino the brand, with the creative direction offices and Valentino Foundation all based in the Italian capital. He purchased his incredible villa there in 1972. The home is near the Appian Way, the city's ancient strategic roads, and it features similarly classically extravagant interiors.
According to the Valentino Foundation's official statement, he passed away in his Roman residence.
Given that the city was his base, it's no surprise that the fashion industry legend owned multiple properties in Rome. In a photoshoot for Vogue in April 1970, fans got a glimpse of the rooftop terrace of his apartment.
At the time of his death, Valentino no longer owned the property, and it can now be privately rented as a holiday apartment.
The designer also owned a home in Gstaad, the exclusive mountain resort in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. According to House & Garden, he often spent Christmas and New Year there with a small circle of close friends.
In the village of Davron-Crespières, near Paris, Valentino found the most magnificent 16th-century château, which he purchased in 1995. It sits on more than 120 hectares of parkland, and once belonged to King Louis XIII's minister of finance.
When he bought the house, Valentino approached the designer Henri Samuel to re-decorate the property, dedicating the interior to the designer's love of "everything Chinese", per the Daily Mail.
Valentino hosted many events and guests at the château, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's guests for a private pre-wedding brunch reception on the evening before their wedding, and the White Fairy Love Ball in July 2011, in support of Natalia Vodianova's Naked Heart Foundation.
A local source exclusively told HELLO! that the designer was a "private" man, who was often "discreet in the way he organised" his events, "never disrupting village life".
Another local source told us: "His visits to the château had been few and far between in recent years," indicating that he likely spent most of his final days in Rome.
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