Author: News Desk

Legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani, founder of the luxury fashion house Valentino, has passed away at the age of 93.

The news was confirmed by his foundation in a statement shared on social media, which said Garavani died peacefully at his residence in Rome, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Known as Valentino, Garavani launched his fashion label in Rome in 1960 and went on to redefine luxury couture with his signature romantic silhouettes and refined elegance. 

He became globally recognised for “Valentino red,” a distinctive shade that became one of the most iconic colors in high fashion.

His designs attracted some of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor wore a Valentino gown to the premiere of Spartacus in 1960, while former US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was among his most notable clients. She famously commissioned several couture pieces from him, including her wedding dress for her marriage.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Valentino’s creations became synonymous with Hollywood glamour, dressing leading actresses such as Joan Collins, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox, Anne Hathaway, and Nicola Peltz Beckham. 

His designs have continued to dominate red carpets in recent years, worn by stars including Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Zendaya, Dakota Johnson, and Florence Pugh.

Beyond the runway, Garavani made a cameo appearance as himself in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada and was the focus of the 2008 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. 

Although he officially retired in January 2008, he remained a revered figure in the fashion industry, widely celebrated for his lasting influence on couture and timeless approach to design.

As part of broader measures to reduce mobile phone use among young people, the United Kingdom (UK) government has launched a consultation to examine whether children under 16 should be banned from using social media.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced the consultation on Monday, saying the Online Safety Act had already introduced steps to create a safer online environment.

“These laws were never meant to be the end point, and we know parents still have serious concerns. That is why I am prepared to take further action,” she said.

The consultation will consider introducing an age limit, methods to enforce it, restricting social media firms’ access to young users’ data, and limiting features such as “infinite scrolling” that can drive compulsive use.

Responses to the consultation will be sought from parents, young people and civil society. Officials will also explore stronger age verification methods and limiting features that encourage compulsive social media use. The government plans to respond to the consultation in the summer.

While the government also expects schools to be “phone-free by default”, the announcement comes ahead of a House of Lords vote on Wednesday on an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would set the social media age limit at 16 within a year of the bill passing.

The move also follows calls from Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, who highlighted how her daughter’s eating disorder and self-harm tendencies were worsened by social media. 

In a letter to the Prime Minister (PM) Keir Starmer, she wrote, “Brianna had a social media addiction and struggled with her mental health from the age of 14. She developed an eating disorder and was self-harming, and all of this was significantly exacerbated by the harmful content she was consuming online.”

The premier said he is open to the idea of a ban but wants to examine evidence from Australia, where a similar ban came into effect in December 2025. “We’re obviously looking at what’s happened in Australia, something I have discussed with the Australian prime minister.”