BIRTHDAY COIN: Marking Valentino Garavani’s birthday on Monday, the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance will issue during the course of this year the “Valentino Garavani Commemorative Coin,” produced by the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute in two versions, gold and silver.
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born in Voghera, near Milan, on May 11, 1932, named after silent movie actor Rudolph Valentino.
This coin “represents a gesture of extraordinary symbolic value,” said Giancarlo Giammetti, Garavani’s longtime partner. “For me, and for our foundation, it is deeply moving to see the contribution Valentino made to style, culture and the image of Italy around the world recognized through such a meaningful initiative.”
Most recently, Garavani and Giammetti were focused on their namesake foundation, which has acquired the exclusive use of a historic Roman palazzo at 23 Piazza Mignanelli, fully renovated and renamed PM23. The venue will serve as a hub for the foundation’s cultural activities and events and was inaugurated in May last year. The foundation was established in 2016 as an entity with a philanthropic mission.
The legendary couturier, who launched his brand in 1959, died in Rome in January aged 93.
“With this issuance, we celebrate not only the creative talent of an extraordinary master of fashion, but also an authentic symbol of Italian excellence around the world,” said Michele Sciscioli, chief executive officer of the Italian State Mint and Polygraphic Institute. “It is the highest tribute we can offer him: a coin from the numismatic collection of the Italian Republic, capable of transforming memory into a symbol destined to endure over time. His art, his vision, his style — once again eternal.”
The silver version will have a nominal value of 5 euros, while the gold version will have a nominal value of 50 euros, but these will essentially be collectors’ commemorative coins and are not intended for circulation.
This is only the latest recognition bestowed on the designer, who over the years received the Gold Keys to the city of Beverly Hills in 1988, in light of his ties with the movie world, and was named Cavaliere di Gran Croce, to Cavaliere del Lavoro and Knight of the Legion of Honor. In 2009 he was inducted into the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, unveiling the plaque in his honor with his close friend Anne Hathaway. In 2017, Garavani was also inducted into the American Academy of Achievement Hall of Fame, becoming the first European fashion designer to receive the honor, which recognizes visionaries and achievers across various fields.
In October, for their enduring impact and influence on fashion across generations, Garavani and Giammetti were the recipients of the 2025 WWD John B. Fairchild Honor for Lifetime Achievement. Hathaway again presented the honor to Giammetti.
