Dhaka, Jan. 21 -- Legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani devoted his life to creating outfits that celebrated women's beauty and dignity, his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti said on Tuesday, following the designer's death at the age of 93.

Speaking to journalists outside Valentino's headquarters in Rome, Giammetti said the designer always believed fashion should enhance women rather than overshadow them.

"He often said, 'It's not my fault, I just love beauty,'" Giammetti said. "From a creative point of view, he taught us to respect women."

Valentino, who founded his fashion house in 1960, dressed some of the world's most famous women, including Elizabeth Taylor, Nancy Reagan, Sharon Stone and Julia Roberts. He was k...