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Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Ungaro's death was confirmed Sunday via Instagram by the fashion house that still bears his name, stating "he will stay in our memories as the master of sensuality, colors and flamboyance." The famed designer known for his use of vibrant colors moved to Paris, France, at the age of 22 to apprentice alongside Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga, according to the company's website.
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He then founded the House of Emanuel Ungaro in 1965, which quickly gained international acclaim for producing clothes that were unabashedly feminine and paid a great deal of attention to detail and color, the fashion house said.
"Season after season, Emanuel Ungaro dared to be different, combining unexpected yet sensual clashes of bright colors and prints with beautiful draping," it said.
He helmed the fashion house into an haute couture empire over four decades before retiring in 2004.
"Until his departure in 2004 from the House he founded, Mr. Emanuel Ungaro has continuously driven the house forward every season with each new collection, by anticipating trends and reminding women of their power of seduction via his richly embellished designs," it said.
The Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode paid tribute to Ungaro, stating he made a mark on the fashion world with his great talent.
"The House he created in 1965 has been very successful," the federation said in a statement. "He developed his ready-to-wear with the same energy and the same spirit of permanently combining creativity and savoir-faire. He was a committed and generous personality."
Fashion model Marisa Berenson took to Instagram following news of his death and posted an image of her being fitted into a gown by Ungaro, stating he was "a beautiful, refined, generous man."
"Elegant at the core of his soul, he loved women, who loved him back," she wrote. "He was one of the greatest designers of his generation and will go down in fashion history."
He is survived by his wife, Laura Bernabei, and daughter, Cosima.
