Fashion
Valentino Garavani Dies at 93: Remembering the Italian Fashion Legend
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
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.
Fashion
Pamela Mtanga Knows Exactly How to Style Polka Dots
Polka dots are enjoying a strong comeback this year, with designers reworking the classic print through sculptural shapes and modern tailoring. Instead of leaning into vintage-inspired dressing, the focus has shifted to bold proportions and clean styling.
Pamela Mtanga‘s latest outfit reflects that direction.
The television presenter wore an oversized white polka dots dress, choosing a design that balanced volume with structure. The high neckline gave the dress a refined look, while the fitted bodice defined her waist before flowing into a bubble hem. One of the defining details was the exaggerated puff sleeves, which brought volume and balanced the fitted bodice.

Photo: Instagram/@Pamelamtanga
She kept to black and white, pairing the dress with delicate black ankle-strap heels. A compact black handbag with a textured finish tied everything together.
She kept her accessories minimal. White oval sunglasses picked up the white tones in the polka dot print, while drop earrings introduced a subtle finishing touch that kept the focus on the dress.
She wore her hair in a softly curled bob with a side part, a hairstyle that suited the dress’s dramatic sleeves. Her makeup included fresh-looking skin, softly defined eyes and a rich red lipstick, introducing the only bold shade in the look.

Photo: Instagram/@Pamelamtanga
Instead of adding statement jewellery or colourful accessories, Pamela kept the styling understated. The simple accessories keep the focus on the dress.
The look also reflects Pamela Mtanga’s signature style. She often wears structured tailoring, dramatic sleeves and contemporary dresses paired with understated accessories. This polka dot look fits naturally alongside many of her previous fashion choices, reflecting her preference for bold shapes paired with carefully chosen accessories.
Fashion
Mihlali Ndamase Goes All In on Pinstripes
Mihlali Ndamase is embracing classic tailoring with a pinstripe outfit that pairs structured tailoring with relaxed proportions. The beauty entrepreneur and content creator opted for a black-and-white look centred on tailored pieces, showing another side of her wardrobe beyond the glamorous occasionwear she is often seen wearing.

Mihlali Ndamase – Instagram
The outfit centres on a black pinstripe three-piece set with wide-leg trousers and a fitted halterneck waistcoat. Fine white pinstripes contrast against the black fabric, while the close-fitting waistcoat sits neatly through the torso before meeting the loose-fitting trousers. Instead of wearing the waistcoat on its own, Mihlali layered it over a crisp white button-down shirt with an exaggerated curved hem extending below the waistcoat, creating a striking black-and-white combination.

Mihlali Ndamase – Instagram
The oversized trousers fall loosely over her silver platform heels, emphasising the relaxed fit of the outfit. The mix of tailored pinstripes and wide-leg trousers offers a modern interpretation of classic suiting while maintaining a structured shape.
She paired the outfit with metallic silver accessories, including a quilted top-handle handbag and matching platform peep-toe heels. A silver wristwatch, stud earrings and stacked rings rounded off the look.
Mihlali wore her hair in a centre-part style pulled neatly behind her shoulders. Her makeup included sculpted brows, defined lashes, neutral eyeshadow, softly contoured cheeks and a nude lip that complemented the black-and-white look.

Mihlali Ndamase – Instagram
This outfit reflects a style direction Mihlali has returned to several times over the years. While she is often associated with body-skimming dresses, corsetry and statement eveningwear, she has also incorporated sharp tailoring into her wardrobe. Compared with some of her more embellished red-carpet appearances, this pinstripe look places greater emphasis on tailoring while staying true to the refined style that regularly appears in her fashion choices.
Fashion
Thabsie Brings Aviator-Inspired Style to Winter in a Sherpa-Trimmed Faux Leather Co-Ord
Thabsie is embracing winter dressing with a coordinated faux leather look. In a recent Instagram post, the South African singer tagged Fashion Nova and identified her outfit as the Along The Lines Sherpa Faux Leather Skirt Set, putting the spotlight on a coordinated look that blends classic winter textures with a fitted cut.
The two-piece is crafted from chocolate-brown faux leather and finished with cream sherpa trim throughout. The cropped sleeveless top has a high funnel neck, a full-length front zip and structured cap sleeves lined with sherpa. Matching trim runs along the hem, creating a clear contrast against the dark faux leather.

Thabsie – Instagram
The coordinating mini skirt follows the same details as the top. Designed with a high waist, it has a front zip running through the centre and sherpa trim along the hem. The matching zips on both pieces create a consistent finish, while the fitted cut gives the set a structured appearance. The rich brown faux leather paired with the cream sherpa trim gives the outfit an aviator-inspired feel, making it well suited to the winter season.

Thabsie – Instagram
Thabsie kept her accessories within the same brown and cream tones. She carried a structured white Burberry tote with brown leather handles and trim, complementing the shades of the outfit. She paired the look with knee-high white boots with square toes and block heels, creating a bold contrast against the dark faux leather. She also wore slim gold bangles on one wrist.
Her hair was styled in a relaxed updo with soft face-framing strands, while her makeup included defined brows, softly blended eye makeup, warm neutral tones and a nude lip.

Thabsie – Instagram
The look reflects a style Thabsie has returned to in recent months. From tailored outfits to coordinated neutral looks and leather pieces, she has consistently favoured structured designs with a refined finish. This sherpa-trimmed faux leather co-ord continues that approach, reflecting her preference for coordinated dressing while adapting it for the colder season.
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