Italian fashion great Valentino dead at 93

Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani poses as he arrives for the West Coast premiere of the documentary "Valentino: The Last Emperor" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in Los Angeles, Apr 1, 2009. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died, his foundation said on Monday.

Usually known only by his first name, Valentino was 93, and had retired in 2008.

Founder of the eponymous brand, Valentino scaled the heights of haute couture, created a business empire and introduced a new colour to the fashion world, the so-called 'Valentino Red'.

"Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones," the foundation said on Instagram.

The lying in state will be on Wednesday and Thursday, while the funeral will take place in Rome on Friday at 11am, it added.

Valentino was ranked alongside Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld as the last of the great designers from an era before fashion became a global, highly commercial industry run as much by accountants and marketing executives as the couturiers.

Lagerfeld passed away in 2019, while Armani died in September.