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Valentino Garavani Dies at 93: Remembering the Italian Fashion Legend

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Photo: Shutterstock

Valentino Garavani, the Italian designer whose name was synonymous with couture discipline and colour mastery, has died at the age of 93. He passed away in Rome on January 19, 2026, according to an official statement released by the Valentino Garavani & Giancarlo Giammetti Foundation.

Born Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani in Voghera in 1932, he began his career at a time when elegance was still governed by structured tailoring and formal codes. Trained in Milan and Paris, Valentino returned to Italy in the late 1950s to establish his fashion house in Rome, a city whose grandeur and history would remain central to his design approach.

Photo: Shutterstock

Photo: Shutterstock

By the 1960s, Valentino had had gained international clients, dressing aristocrats, actresses, and first ladies with a carefulness followed strict couture conventions. His work was featured sharp tailoring. Few designers have so successfully balanced excess with discipline, romance with order.

One of his defining signature is the color that became inseparable from his name a distinctive shade of red that was associated with formal evening wear and couture presentation rather than provocation. It was worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Sophia Loren, and later worn by contemporary actresses and public figures extending his cultural relevance across decades of cultural memory.

Photo: Shutterstock

His personal and professional partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti, who joined the house in 1960, shaped the business and public image of the house. Together, they built Valentino into one of Italy’s leading Italian couture houses navigating the transition from couture salon to global fashion house while maintaining its couture focus.

Valentino stepped away from active design in 2008, presenting his final collection with a final haute couture collection in Paris that reflected his long-standing emphasis to form and finish. While the house would go on under new creative leadership, his influence remained embedded in its shapes and couture techniques.

Tributes followed from across the fashion industry, film, and global culture, acknowledging not only his aesthetic contributions but his insistence on standards in an increasingly fast-paced industry. Within the fashion industry Valentino represented a belief in fashion as a discipline one shaped by patience, skill, and an understanding of beauty as something constructed, not improvised.

Photo: Centromedicoloira

He is survived by his partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Funeral arrangements will take place in Rome, with plans for a public viewing to be announced. With his passing, fashion loses one of its last true couturiers a designer whose work did not chase relevance, yet never lost it.

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Jadrolita Goes Futuristic in All-Pink for her Birthday Shoot

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Photo: Ibor Edosa Victor

When it comes to birthday photoshoots, most celebrities play it safe. A glamorous dress, soft lighting, a cake prop and a few smiles for the camera. But Jadrolita chose a completely different direction for her latest birthday shoot. She stepped into a futuristic world, dressed head to toe in pink, poses as a character pulled straight from a sci-fi film rather than a traditional celebrant.

Photo: Ibor Edosa Victor

Photo: Ibor Edosa Victor

The concept leaned heavily into technology, identity, and digital culture, themes that already sit at the center of Jadrolita’s public persona. Known for blending artificial intelligence storytelling with lifestyle content, her birthday shoot felt personal and carefully planned rather than experimental.

The first thing that stands out is the colour choice. Every part of the look revolves around pink. It gave the impression of someone existing in a digital universe where colour replaces emotion and storytelling happens visually before words are spoken.

Her outfit consists of a fitted bodysuit crafted from a glossy material. The structure hugged her silhouette closely, creating a clean outline from shoulder to ankle.

Photo: Ibor Edosa Victor

Photo: Ibor Edosa Victor

Layered over the bodysuit was a sculpted jacket designed with exaggerated shoulders and defined edges. The tailoring introduced structure without making the outfit look heavy. Instead, it reinforced the futuristic theme, resembling protective gear worn by a character built for a digital era. Not forgetting her glasses which completed the futuristic look.

Hair and makeup followed the same direction. Her hair was styled in a short pixie cut with clean edges. Her makeup was kept nude.

What makes this birthday shoot notable is how clearly it reflects Jadrolita’s brand. She has built an online identity around digital intelligence, virtual interaction, and futuristic storytelling. Instead of separating her birthday celebration from that identity, she leaned fully into it.

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Are We Finally Getting the R9 Album? Fans Read the Signs Around Rihanna

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Photo Credit - Instagram

It’s been ten years since “Anti” came out in January 2016. It spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard 200. Ten years later, her fans are still waiting for R9. But this week, she gave them the clearest sign yet.

On February 26, 2026, Rihanna took to her Instagram and posted a day-in-the-life video. It started at 9 PM with a Savage X Fenty design meeting that stretched towards 2 AM. Before leaving, she turned to her team and said: “I still have to go to the studio after this. And I have to make a Mardi Gras costume for my son after the studio. Longest day ever.”

She followed through. By 2:30 AM she was inside the studio seen working at the mixing board, writing in a notebook, and chatting with her team. The session ran past 5 AM. At one point, someone in the room said “We in business, Kuk,” and Rihanna replied “Yes, let’s go.” Kuk is widely believed to refer to Kuk Harrell, the vocal producer behind her hits “Umbrella” and “Only Girl in the World”.

Photo Credit – Instagram

No music was heard in the clip. No release date was announced. But the video alone was enough to send the Navy into an overdrive.

This is not the first time she has hinted about her album. In December 2019, she posted an Instagram video of a dog dancing, captioned: “Update: me listening to R9 by myself and refusing to release it.” Then in May 2020, she told British Vogue she was “very aggressively working on music.”

But her most detailed update came in February 2025, in a cover story for Harper’s Bazaar. She addressed the long delay directly:

“Way off! There’s no genre now. That’s why I waited. Every time, I was just like, ‘No, it’s not me. It’s not right. It’s not matching my growth. It’s not matching my evolution. I can’t do this. I can’t stand by this. I can’t perform this for a year on tour.’ “I’ve been in the studio the whole eight years. But it didn’t hit me. I was searching for it. I went through phases of what I wanted to do. I know it’s not going to be anything that anybody expects. And it’s not going to be commercial or radio digestible. It’s going to be where my artistry deserves to be right now. I feel like I’ve finally cracked it, girl!”

She also said: “I think music is my freedom. I just came to that realization. I just cracked the code on what I really want to do for my next body of work”.

No release date. No tracklist. No official announcement. But Rihanna is in the studio, and this time the whole world will be watching.

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Inside Wunmi Mosaku’s Teal-Eyed BAFTA Night and Her Best Supporting Actress Win

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Photo Credit - karisbeau

Wunmi Mosaku attended the 79th British Academy Film Awards on February 22, 2026, in a royal blue custom gown made by Ahluwalia. Wunmi won best supporting actress for her role as Annie in “Sinners”,the supernatural thriller directed by Ryan Coogler. The film also earned multiple awards that day, including Original Screenplay and Original Score.

The look was a one-shoulder long gown crafted with layers of fringe and a thigh-high slit. The dress was specially designed by Shameelah Hicks to accommodate her pregnancy. She accessorized the outfit with silver strappy heels from Stuart Weitzman and silver statement jewelry from Moussaieff: large silver hoop earrings and rings on both fingers.

Photo Credit – karisbeau

Her makeup was done by Joyadenuga in a soft-glam look with her with teal eye shadow highlighting and complementing the royal blue of the dress, defined brows and neutral glossy lips. Her hair was styled in a structured updo with volume at the crown and sides. Her images were captured by Karisbeau.

When her name was announced as the winner, she walked up to the stage, held the BAFTA trophy carefully, and gave a warm speech. She spoke about her role in “Sinners,” she also thanked her family and shared how much the character meant to her.

Photo Credit – karisbeau

Mosaku has built a steady career with notable performances in films and series including “His House” and “Lovecraft County.” This BAFTA win recognized her role in “Sinners”. Her gown featured fringe detailing and tailored fit, paired with matching accessories and teal eye shadow.

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