How Valentino Made Hollywood the Enduring Obsession of the Fashion World

At Variety, we talk a lot about the soft power of the red carpet. We live in an age where “image architect” is a vaunted job title, thanks to the serious economic and cultural impact the right look can offer stars and brands.

We can largely thank Valentino Garavani, who died at 93 on Monday, for creating this mutually beneficial relationship. In the late ’70s, European fashion houses became global enterprises. As the designer of deeply glamorous and dreamlike gowns, Mr. Valentino (as he was known) saw the writing on the wall. Celebrities and artists — particularly actresses — would come to reinvent how fashion captivated culture and commerce. His muses are renowned, from Jackie Kennedy to Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts to Cate Blanchett.

Celebrated documentary filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer chronicled the designer’s opulent lifestyle and pioneering spirit in the 2008 movie “Valentino: The Last Emperor.” The project premiered at the Venice Film Festival that year,…