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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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Rapper Tommie Lee Arrested at 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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Photo: Instagram

American rapper and reality television personality Tommie Lee was arrested during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after authorities said she allegedly entered Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, through an unauthorized entrance without a valid ticket.

The incident occurred on July 11, during the quarterfinal match between England and Norway, one of the tournament’s most anticipated knockout fixtures. According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, Lee, whose real name is Atasha Chizaah Jefferson, allegedly bypassed security measures and made her way into the stadium before being stopped by deputies in the 100-level seating section.

Authorities charged the rapper with interference with a sporting or entertainment event, a third-degree felony under Florida law. Investigators said she entered the venue without proper authorization, prompting law enforcement officers on site to take her into custody.

Photo: Instagram

The arrest quickly drew attention on social media after news of the incident emerged. However, officials described it as an isolated security matter and said it did not disrupt the match or affect the overall safety of fans attending the game.

Lee was one of six people arrested during the England versus Norway fixture. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that 19 spectators were ejected from the stadium for separate incidents, while tournament operations continued without interruption.

Court records indicate that Lee was later released after posting a $1,000 bond. She has since pleaded not guilty to the charge. As with any criminal case, the allegations remain before the court, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Photo: Instagram

Tommie Lee rose to prominence through her appearances on Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta before launching a music career and later featuring on other reality television projects. Over the years, she has remained a regular subject of entertainment headlines, often attracting public attention.

The arrest comes as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to draw massive crowds across host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Tournament organizers have maintained heightened security at all venues, with thousands of spectators passing through extensive screening procedures before every match.

As the case moves through the Florida court system, the incident has also highlighted the strict security measures in place at World Cup venues, where unauthorized entry is treated as a serious offence regardless of a person’s public profile.

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Zendaya Is Bringing Back the Gladiator Sandal 

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Photo: XYN/Star Max/Gc Images

Zendaya is showing that the gladiator sandal could be making a comeback, proving why the once-popular style still holds fashion appeal. This past Monday in New York, she stepped out wearing a vintage Alberta Ferretti dress from 2008. The white mini dress featured a plunging neckline and metallic paneling, but the true highlight was her footwear: a pair of towering, knee-high gladiator sandals from Sophia Webster. With straps laced tightly up her legs, the look felt like a direct tribute to ancient Rome.

Photo: XYN/Star Max/Gc Images

This isn’t just a random fashion choice. Zendaya is currently promoting The Odyssey, a new film where she portrays Athena, the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Her stylist, Law Roach, is leaning heavily into this theme for her public appearances, using fashion to channel the themes Greek mythology. By mixing a flowy, Greco-Roman inspired dress with bold leather sandals, the team created a look that feels both cinematic and high-fashion.

This is the second time in just a few weeks that Zendaya has turned to this style. She previously paired a chic ivory dress by Khaite with glossy, lizard-effect Christian Louboutin gladiator sandals. These repeated appearances have placed the gladiator sandal back in the fashion conversation and brought attention to the style once again.

Photo: XYN/Star Max/Gc Images

Interestingly, this is a look Zendaya has supported for a long time. She wore knee-high gladiator sandals as far back as 2015 and even designed her own pair in 2017 for her former clothing line, Daya by Zendaya. For her, wearing these sandals isn’t following a trend; it is returning to a signature style she has loved for years.

Photo: XYN/Star Max/Gc Images

When Zendaya adopts a trend, people pay attention. She has a unique talent for taking pieces that have been dormant in fashion history and making them feel essential once again. As The Odyssey heads to theaters on July 17, Zendaya’s latest appearances could further fuel interest in the strappy, lace-up shape. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to try out the gladiator look, this is it. It’s bold, it’s historic, and thanks to stars like Zendaya, it is the biggest footwear trend of the year.

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Tems On Fame, Fashion And Her Journey From Lagos To The World In British Vogue

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Photo: British Vogue

Tems is taking stock of a career that has carried her from Lagos to the global stage. In a new interview with British Vogue, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter discusses the choices, creative discipline and quiet conviction that have shaped one of music’s most distinctive voices.

Photographed by Nadine Ijewere and styled by Jessica Willis, the editorial presents Tems in a series of refined looks from leading fashion houses, highlighting the connection between her evolving musical identity and her expanding presence in fashion.

Photo: British Vogue

The feature also revisits her childhood in Lagos, where she describes herself as exceptionally quiet, revealing that she did not begin speaking until she was three years old. While naturally reserved, music became her earliest form of expression. She began writing songs at around nine years old and spent much of her childhood singing, a habit that continued regardless of attempts to distract her with schoolwork.

The conversation also turns to the artists who have influenced Tems’ creative outlook. She names Frank Ocean and Sade as her dream collaborators, revealing that she has followed Ocean’s music since his SoundCloud days. Tems recalls downloading every song she could find onto an iPod her uncle gave her, while crediting his lyrical approach as a lasting source of inspiration. British Vogue notes that traces of that influence can be heard in her soulful, conversational songwriting, even as she continues to shape a sound that is distinctly her own.

Photo: British Vogue

Since releasing her debut single in 2018, Tems has gone on to become one of Africa’s most celebrated artists. Collaborations with artists including Wizkid, Drake, Beyoncé, Future, Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Dave have expanded her international profile, while her own catalogue has established her as one of contemporary R&B and Afrobeats’ most unique voices. She has earned two Grammy Awards.

Despite those milestones, Tems explains that external validation has never been the driving force behind her career. Rather than measuring success through awards or industry recognition alone, she says her focus remains on creating music that feels authentic to her. That perspective has become one of the defining themes of the British Vogue profile, highlighting an artist whose confidence comes from purpose rather than public approval.

Photo: British Vogue

Fashion occupies an equally important place in the conversation. Working with stylist Dunsin Wright, Tems has cultivated a fashion identity characterised by bold shapes, statement jewellery and luxury labels while maintaining a style that feels distinctly her own.

Away from music and fashion, Tems also discusses the next phase of her career. She reveals that new music is already in development as she continues exploring fresh creative directions. The interview also highlights the mentorship initiative she launched in 2025 to support young African women pursuing careers in music, reflecting a growing commitment to creating opportunities beyond her own success.

Photo: British Vogue

Now based in London, where she has lived for the past five years, Tems describes a life that has changed dramatically from the early days of recording independently in Lagos. Yet the qualities that first defined her career patience, conviction and creative independence remain unchanged. Those values continue to shape every new chapter, whether through music, fashion or the wider cultural conversations she increasingly influences.

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