Fashion, cinema and its muses mourn the “great Valentino” at his final farewell in Rome.
Rome, Jan 23 (EFE)
A 16th-century church in the heart of Rome was the setting for the final farewell to the “great” Valentino, during a funeral that brought together figures from film and fashion, such as Anne Hathaway and Tom Ford, and several of his muses such as Naty Abascal and Rosario Nadal, in an emotional tribute filled with white and red flowers.
For a moment, the entrance to the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, conceived in 1562 by Michelangelo, was transformed into a solemn catwalk where prominent personalities from the world of fashion, film and international culture paraded, visibly affected by the death of the Italian master.
Hathaway, Ford, Donatella Versace, Anna Wintour or the Spanish women Abascal and Nadal were some of the faces that attended the funeral of the great icon of Italian haute couture, in a city that welcomed him and said goodbye to him as one of its own.
Dressed in black, some, like American actress Hathaway, entered the capital’s church, dedicated to the funerals of great personalities, in tears.
A final farewell amidst applause
Hundreds of members of the public also attended the funeral, some of whom were able to enter the church, with slogans such as “Great Valentino, in paradise, one day we will meet” or “The whole world mourns Valentino”.
The coffin arrived around 11:00 a.m. (10:00 GMT) on a sunny day, led by Giancarlo Giammetti, the designer’s partner and former spouse, accompanied by family and friends.
The entrance of the coffin, displayed in front of the altar and accompanied by a black and white portrait of a smiling Valentino, was marked by Mozart’s Lacrimosa, while it concluded with a final blessing to the sound of Fauré’s In Paradisum.
During the tribute, held in the square, there was an atmosphere of deep reflection, to which numerous people joined to pay tribute to a fundamental figure of Italian design.
As the guests left, they bid farewell to the coffin with applause before the hearse departed.
The designer’s remains were transferred to the Flaminio cemetery in Rome, where he will be buried in the family chapel commissioned by him and Giammetti.
“The father of Italian fashion”
In addition to the celebrities already mentioned, actress Liz Hurley, Fendi’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, and designer Brunello Cucinelli also attended, among other prominent names in fashion and culture, many of whom wore small details in red alluding to the iconic “Valentino red,” a hallmark of his work.
“(Valentino is) the father of Italian fashion, along with Mr. Giorgio Armani and Versace, they are the ones who have taken our style and our idea to the world,” Cucinelli stated, adding that “the creator must have placed them in a very special place.”
Among the wreaths that have arrived at the basilica, the one from Italian actress Sophia Loren stood out, with the inscription: “Always in my heart”.
During the ceremony and in the days leading up to it, thousands of admirers also paid public tribute to the designer, with a funeral chapel open in the center of Rome where the coffin was displayed and flowers and messages of affection were received.
Amid tears, applause, and hugs, Valentino bids farewell to the city that welcomed him, leaving an indelible mark on culture, not only in Italy, but in the world.
