The End of an Era: Remembering the Italian Masters of Fashion, Valentino Garavani and Giorgio Armani
- Christianne Klein
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Today, the fashion world is mourning the loss of Valentino Garavani, who passed away at 93 in Rome. Valentino was not just a designer; he was a storyteller, a sculptor of presence, a master who understood the power of beauty and the audacity of elegance. His work transcended clothing- it became emotion, confidence, and authority.
Valentino's clothes empowered women to take up space beautifully, to command attention while embracing sensuality and grace. His signature red, now immortalized in fashion history, wasn’t just a color- it was a statement. Try to find a more gorgeous and confident color. It's impossible. When I slip into one of his iconic dresses, paired with my Valentino Rockstud cage heels, I feel transformed. Regal. Unapologetic. The studs and patent leather are sexy in a way that is still accessible enough for a date night with my husband. His clothes make you feel like a goddess. Feminine, but strong.
His passing comes just months after the loss of another Italian master: Giorgio Armani, who died at 91. Armani and Valentino, while starkly different in style, shared a singular understanding of women, of confidence, and of what fashion can do when wielded with intention. Where Valentino dazzled with drama and romance, Armani taught the quiet power of restraint.
I remember my first Armani suit vividly. At the time, my television anchor salary was modest, and I had to save for months. But I knew that suit would do more than clothe me- it would shape me, give me confidence, presence, and refinement. And it did. From that moment forward, I understood what true mastery feels like: garments that don’t just dress a body, but empower it.
Armani’s genius extended beyond tailoring. His Luminous Silk Foundation, which I’ve worn nearly every day on television for almost two decades, is more than makeup- it is confidence in a bottle. It is polish without heaviness, strength without distraction. My longtime makeup artist, Frances, from ABC News and Good Morning America, first applied it to me years ago (we switched from the heavier, now-discontinued Armani Designer Shaping Cream). That day, I fell in love- not just with the product, but with the philosophy Armani embodies: support without showiness, refinement without pretense. It made my skin glow and look naturally flawless on camera in a way that no other foundation ever did.
Valentino, conversely, reveled in power made visible. He dressed the world’s most iconic women: Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis, Anna Wintour, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya. His creations were as much about spectacle as they were about strategy- every gown, every silhouette, every red carpet moment was a deliberate act of confidence. Even after his retirement in 2008, Valentino remained involved, designing dresses for opera productions and keeping alive a vision that millions around the world aspired to wear, in one form or another.
Armani’s approach was quieter but no less revolutionary. His jackets, his suits, his minimalist elegance created a new language for professional women in the 1970s and ’80s. He softened authority without diminishing it, and in doing so, allowed women to inhabit power fully and gracefully. His attention to detail- overseeing hair, advertising, and even tailoring- earned him the nickname “Re Giorgio” in Italy. Armani didn’t just build a fashion empire; he built a philosophy, one in which clothes were tools for living fully, elegantly, and confidently.
The contrast between Valentino and Armani is instructive. One whispered power, the other declared it. One dazzled with color and drama, the other grounded women in structure and precision. Both, however, shared an unwavering respect for the person wearing their designs. Both understood that true fashion mastery is not about the designer, it is about the person inhabiting the creation.
As I reflect on these two lives, I feel gratitude. Grateful for the red that makes me stand taller. Grateful for the suiting and literal foundation that has carried me through countless broadcasts. Grateful for designers who didn’t simply craft clothes, but shaped confidence, dignity, and presence.
Today, fashion loses another of its greatest masters. But the legacy of Armani and Valentino is alive every time a woman walks into a room feeling fearless, elegant, and unforgettable.
They leave behind a world richer for their vision, and countless women who understand that the right jacket, the perfect gown, or even the simplest shade of red can transform not just an outfit- but the way we inhabit our lives.
Armani and Valentino didn’t just make fashion. They made power, beauty, and grace tangible. And that is a lesson that will endure far beyond their lifetimes.
Christianne Klein is an Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning TV Host, journalist, travel and lifestyle expert, and founder of FoodFamilyTravel.com.
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