The fashion world was stunned once more when it was announced that one of the godfathers of style, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani - known by most as simply Valentino - had passed away in Rome at the age of 93.
The Italian fashion designer had founded his eponymous label, Valentino, in 1960, with his designs quickly becoming sought after by editors and celebrities alike. However, it was his signature use of red - later known as Valentino Red - that will perhaps be one of his strongest style legacies for many years to come, and it is at the forefront of fashion once more as one of the key fashion colour trends 2026.
The rich scarlet shade even inspired a now-discontinued diffusion line, Valentino Red and was used throughout the designer's collections in a variety of ways, most often in striking red carpet dresses, as seen on celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Anne Hathaway, to name but a few. The Devil Wears Prada star has long been a fan of the designer, wearing his dresses to several events, most recently to the Women's Wear Daily Honors in October 2025, where she chose a vintage couture design from the 2003 collection.
MAKE A STATEMENT IN VALENTINO RED
There is no doubt that Valentino's designs will feature in the highly anticipated sequel, due to be released in May 2026. In a sneak-peek teaser trailer for The Devil Wear Prada 2, the film's fierce Editor Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep) is seen stalking through the corridors of fictional magazine Runway in a pair of the designer's Rock Stud court shoes, once again in the signature shade of Valentino Red.
The move sent fashion fans into a frenzy, with many proclaiming that the style was officially back in Vogue.
The Rock Stud collection was released in 2010, 18 months after the final collection overseen by Valentino himself was presented. The punk inspired collection of shoes, bags and small leather accessories - which features a four-sided pyramid stud - has become one of the fashion house's most popular accessory ranges and a new, contemporary update on the style features in the 2026 collections.
Shop the look
In signature Valentino Red, this cross-body Rockstud bag is a timeless design that will be considered one of the best designer bags for years to come.
A classic crew neck is a chic addition to any spring capsule wardrobe and will instantly brighten up your outfit. Style it with a pair of barrel leg jeans.
You don't need to wait for a red carpet to wear a striking dress, this Whistles midi can be dressed up or down. Team it with your best knee-high boots for a chic daytime look.
It's not just Valentino's signature red that he leaves in his colourful design legacy. The designer's namesake brand' can almost singlehandedly be credited with the revival of bold, bubblegum pink as a colour of choice.
After fashion's fatigue with the feminine colour following the trend for saccharine Millenial pink in the noughties and oughts, the brand brought back a vibrant eye-popping hue in 2022 that quickly went viral, exploding across the fashion sphere as a fresh shade of choice that continues to be popular.
As the fashion world says arrivederci to a true fashion icon, one thing is for sure - Valentino's designs and bold colour choices will continue to live on for style lovers the world over.
