Classic Stars in Valentino: From Jackie O to Cate Blanchett (Photos)
Fashion legend Valentino Garavani died on January 19, 2026, but his indelible mark on the fashion industry will live on through his timeless designs, iconic silhouettes, and enduring influence on couture. Best known for his elegance, romanticism, and meticulous craftsmanship, Valentino’s vision celebrated femininity through sculptural gowns, lavish fabrics, and his signature Valentino Red—creating a language of glamour that has shaped red carpets and couture maisons for decades.
The designer of A-listers and Hollywood’s red-carpet residents, Valentino helped cement Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as a modern style icon, dressed Elizabeth Taylor in head-turning looks for her premieres, and made Julia Roberts a vision in black-and-white at the 2001 Academy Awards.
Below, a look back at some of Valentino’s most memorable moments in pop culture history.
Elizabeth Taylor was one of the designer’s earliest supporters. Shortly after he opened his own fashion house in 1960, the star wore one of his gowns to the Rome premiere of the film Spartacus. He continued to dress Taylor throughout her life, including her 1991 wedding to Larry Fortensky.
Valentino broke through as a designer due to his work with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, another early supporter. Valentino dressed the former First Lady often during her 1964 year of mourning for JFK, and in 1968, she wore a Valentino dress during her wedding to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis (pictured here).
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ 1968 wedding gown, on display in 2008.
When she won the 2001 Oscar for Best Actress for her work in Erin Brockovich, Julia Roberts showed up in 1992 Valentino dress pulled from the designer’s archives. Valentino himself described the moment as a high point of his career, saying “I have dressed so many people but I have to be sincere. The person that made me feel so very, very happy was Julia Roberts. When she got the Academy Award for Erin Brockovich I watched it on television and really I was so excited that she appeared in my dress.”
Cate Blanchett accepts her award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2005 Oscars in a pale yellow Valentino gown with a burgundy detail waist belt.
Jennifer Lopez in an ethereal sky-blue Valentino gown at the 2017 Met Gala.
Meryl Streep is a vision in white at the 2017 SAG Awards
Joan Collins had a relationship with Valentino that goes back to the 1960s; she has often been spotted wearing the house’s designs in the decades since, including at her peak Dynasty fame. In 2019, she became the face of Valentino’s holiday campaign, and also stepped out in a custom Valentino gown at the 2019 Met Ball gala.
In 2019, Gwyneth Paltrow wore a 1963 Valention couture gown to the Emmys. Paltrow was a close friend of the designer, who dressed her for her 2018 wedding to Brad Falchuk.
Naomi Campbell wore a red Valentino cutout gown on the Killers Of The Flower Moon red carpet at Cannes Film Festival 2023.
Anne Hathaway attends the 2025 WWD Honors wearing a vintage Valentino gown.