How Valentino Garavani Celebrated Black Women, Style & Culture

Valentino Garavani, the legendary Italian designer behind one of fashion’s most enduring houses, died on January 19 at age 93.

His foundation confirmed the news on Instagram, prompting an immediate wave of tributes from across fashion, entertainment, and culture. Editors remembered the elegance. Designers cited the influence. Celebrities honored the moments.

But for many, Valentino’s legacy goes beyond the clothes themselves. It shows up in how his international fashion house consistently made space for Black style, beauty, and cultural influence at the highest level.

Before The Industry Changed, Valentino Made Space For Black Culture

Valentino’s relationship with Black culture began early and decisively—at a time when most luxury houses resisted inclusion altogether. In the 1960s, Ebony Fashion Fair executive Eunice Johnson personally convinced Valentino to allow Black models to wear his designs during the touring fashion show.

That decision mattered.

Ebony Fashion Fair brought European couture directly to Black audiences across the United States, transforming ballrooms and theaters into front-row fashion experiences. Valentino’s gowns traveling with that show helped legitimize Black elegance within luxury spaces that had long ignored it.

Valentino Made Black Women Muses—And Moments

By the 1970s, Valentino’s admiration for Black beauty became visible in his creative circle.

According to Vogue, Iman emerged as one of his early muses, influencing how his designs were styled, photographed, and presented within his collections. Valentino himself “was inspired by Iman,” as later recounted by his successor Pierpaolo Piccioli, a reflection of how central she was to his creative vision.

Then came Naomi Campbell, whose connection to Valentino stretched across decades. As documented by Vogue and WWD, Naomi became one of the most recognizable faces of the house, walking and closing his shows during the height of the ’90s supermodel era.

Valentino red and Naomi’s stride during this time was inseparable.

From Beyoncé To Halle Berry And Oprah: Some Of Valentino’s Top Cultural Red Carpet Moments

Valentino’s gowns also became fixtures in the culture, worn during moments we still talk about.

Take Halle Berry’s 1996 Oscars appearance, for example. Here she floated down the red carpet in a lilac Valentino slip dress that remains one of her most referenced looks.

The dress was soft, feminine, and hugged her frame. It is one of many Valentino pieces she chose for the red carpet.

Oprah Winfrey, a longtime Valentino devotee, has turned to the house for career milestones and personal moments alike, according to People. At the 2024 Grammy Awards, she honored Tina Turner in a sparkling vintage Valentino look featuring a beaded Black mini skirt and sheer detailing, a clear nod to Tina’s fearless fashion. 

And then there’s Beyoncé, whose custom yellow Valentino Haute Couture gown at the 2022 Oscars dominated headlines. As Vogue noted, the custom gown stood out for its bold color, sweeping cape, and unmistakable red-carpet impact.

These red carpet moments reflected the trust Valentino built with high-profile clients, especially Black women, and his brand. He knew how to make them stand out during their most public appearances while delivering style and expert tailoring.

When The House Reflected The Culture

Even after Valentino stepped away from daily design (after almost five decades), his house continued to reflect diverse values.

Under Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino staged a couture show featuring 43 Black models, with Adut Akech opening and Naomi Campbell closing—an industry-shifting moment widely covered.

Valentino understood something many designers never fully grasp. Fashion doesn’t exist above culture. It moves with it.

He allowed Black women to be muses, icons, and authorities in his world—not exceptions. That’s why his work still resonates with fashion girls today. Not because it chased relevance, but because it respected influence and beauty in all forms.

As we remember Valentino, we’re also taking notes. The designer’s work wasn’t perfect nor free from some controversy, but it made an impact. From the doors he opened to the images he helped normalize, and the beauty he helped amplify, Valentino’s life was marked by innovation and inclusion.

We need more of that—in fashion and everywhere else.