Valentino Garavani is a famous fashion designer from Italy. On the way to recognition

0 May 11, 2011, 09:00

Today, May 11, is the birthday of one of the living classics of fashion, Valentino Garavani, or simply Valentino. Believe it or not, he is turning 79 years old! And although he is already “retired”, that is, he does not create collections for his fashion house, a year before his 80th birthday he is cheerful, cheerful and elegant so much that even 20-year-olds will envy!

Valentino was born in Lombardy and was interested in fashion from a young age - in high school. He worked as an apprentice to his aunt and a local designer. When he turned 17, he moved to Paris, where he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Syndicate of Haute Couture. In Paris, the young man worked for some time with Cristobal Balenciaga, and then ended up at Jean Desses, where he helped create sketches. Even later, Valentino worked with Guy Laroche.

In 1959, Valentino decided to return to his homeland, Italy, and settle in Rome. There, on Via Condotti, he opened his fashion house. True, at first Garavani spent so much money that he was on the verge of bankruptcy. But fate helped him: he soon met Giancarlo Giametti, who became his business partner. It was Giancarlo who gave Valentino the idea of ​​international expansion. So, in 1962, Valentino presented his collection called Gotha in Florence. The fashion world welcomed the young couturier with open arms.

Giancarlo Giametti and Valentino Garavani

The fame of Valentino and his fashion house was gaining momentum. The fashion designer's clients included the most famous ladies in the world, including Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. Jackie met Valentino during a difficult period in her life. In September 1964, Kennedy ordered six dresses from the designer's new collection. The outfits were to be done in black and white - Jacqueline was wearing mourning for her murdered husband. Later, however, Valentino found himself next to the incomparable Jackie and in a joyful moment - it was he who sewed her wedding dress for her wedding with Aristotle Onassis.

Jacqueline Kennedy is getting married for the second time. In a lace dress from Valentino

By the early 1970s, Garavani was one of the most popular couturiers in the world. He spent a lot of time in New York, communicating with prominent figures in culture, fashion and art. In 1975, the Valentino fashion house showed its first ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week.

In 1982, Valentino's book was published. What and about whom it was written, in general, can be understood from the title. This is not the only work about the maestro - in 2008, after his departure from the fashion world, a documentary film was released.

Valentino is an amazing person. He seems to be the only one who allowed himself to make an entirely white collection - this happened in 1966. This event in the fashion world is akin to the release of The Beatles' "white album" in the music world. A distinctive feature of that collection was also the fact that for the first time in the history of fashion, a logo (in this case, the letter V) was used as a decorative element.

Garavani was always conservative in his choice of colors. He recognized only three colors - black, white and red. His favorite shade of red has even been called "Valentino red." At the same time, his collections have always been diverse. And, of course, infinitely elegant.

While developing outfits that inspired fashionistas all over the world, Valentino managed to do many more useful things. For example, in 1989 he opened the Valentino Academy - it is intended, in particular, for the presentation of art exhibitions. And in 1990, together with Giametti, they founded a charitable foundation dedicated to the fight against AIDS. In addition, both Garavani and Giametti are avid art collectors.

In 1998, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giametti sold their company for $300 million. However, Valentino still remained the creative director of the brand and created collections until 2007. Then the maestro decided to leave the fashion scene - after all, he was already 75 then. The last collection created by Valentino himself was shown in October 2007. After this, the legendary fashion designer gave way to the young.

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani(Italian Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani; genus. May 11, 1932, Voghera, Italy) is a famous Italian fashion designer, founder of the fashion house Valentino and the fashion brands Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino.

Biography

Valentino Garavani (known as Valentino) was born in Italy in 1932. His family were Catholics, adherents of the fear of God, and from an early age they taught the boy to love God and respect for elders. Since childhood, as soon as Valentino learned to hold a pencil in his hands, he began to draw. Instead of toy cars and airplanes, he needed a piece of paper and a couple of colored pencils. Realizing his passion for drawing, he wanted to become a clothing designer. And soon he entered the Academy of Art in Milan. At 17 he went to Paris. In parallel with his studies at fashion school, Valentino mastered the art of dance.

After working as an assistant at the fashion houses of Jean Dess and Guy Laroche, Valentino returned to Italy in 1960.

Valentino owes his success partly to Elizabeth Taylor, one of the first to pay attention to the talent of the young Italian. [[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]] She was soon joined by Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Margaret. In the late 60s, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti, who left the university where he studied architecture to become his friend's full business partner. Valentino and Giametti were also romantically involved; both partners did not hide their homosexual orientation.

The collaboration of these two people ensured the rapid formation of an international fashion empire: the creation of boutiques in Europe, the USA and Japan, the opening of the Fashion Academy in Rome, financial support for the AIDS Association. In 1967, Valentino created the so-called “white collection”, in which the “V” logo appeared for the first time. Around the same time, magazines around the world published photographs of the lace minidress Jacqueline Kennedy wore to marry billionaire Aristotle Onassis.

Collections

Valentino toilets have become an indispensable attribute of Oscar parties; Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Lopez got married in Valentino dresses.

In 1998, Valentino's fashion empire was acquired by a large Italian holding. Partecipazioni Industriali, creating on its basis a new group of companies producing luxury goods. The deal brought the designer and his long-time business partner £211 million.

Perfume products Valentino produced in collaboration with a Spanish company Puig.

Rock"n Dreams is the most popular women's perfume composition

Biography

Parisian period (1949-1959)

Valentino began to become interested in men's and women's fashion while attending high school in his hometown of Voghera (Lombardy) in northern Italy, when he was apprenticed to his aunt Rosa and local designer Ernestina Salvadeo. At the age of 17, Valentino, with the help of his parents, moved to Paris to study fashion. In Paris, he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and at the Syndicate of Haute Couture.

In 1966, Valentino, supported by his clientele, moves his shows from Florence to Rome, where 2 years later he achieves one of his greatest triumphs - his collection consists entirely of white clothes and the famous “V” logo.

By the mid-1960s, he had become an undisputed trendsetter in Italy, and in 1967 he received the Neiman Marcus Award, considered the equivalent of an Oscar for fashion designers. His clients include Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Margaret, Audrey Hepburn and many others.

Dressing Jackie (1964)

1970s

In 1968, the first Valentino boutique opened in Paris.

During the 1970s, Valentino spent time in New York, where he attracted the attention of people such as Diana Vreeland, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, and Andy Warhol.

In 1978, Valentino released its first perfume composition.

Valentino Academy

1989 marked the opening of the Valentino Academy, designed by the architect Thomas Siffer and located near Valentino's studio in Rome. The Academy is intended for the presentation of art exhibitions.

Selling a fashion house

In 1998, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti sold their company for $300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate controlled by Giovanni Agnelli Jr., head of Fiat. In 2002, Valentino S.p.A. with annual income of $180 million a year, was sold to Marzotto Appareli, a Milanese textile giant, for $210 million. However, Valentino continued to work in the fashion house he founded until the end of his working career.

Leaving the fashion business

On September 4, 2007, Valentino announced that he would completely retire from the world stage after his last show in Paris. He presented his latest women's Ready-to-wear collection in Paris on October 4 to thunderous applause. On January 24, 2008, Valentino was awarded the Medal of the City of Paris for his work in the fashion business of the city where he received his education.

Personal life

Love and family

Valentino and his lover Giancarlo Giammatti were together for 12 years, hiding their relationship from everyone except their closest circle of friends, although even their mothers knew nothing about their relationship. When Valentino's mother, Teresa, moved from Voghera to Rome to help her son run his business, he told her that he had an affair with the Italian actress Marilou Tolo, the only woman he truly loved and with whom he wanted to have children. .

Patron of the Arts

Both Valentino and his boyfriend Giancarlo Giammatti are known for their huge and varied art collection, including works by Picasso, Balthus, Hirst and many others, with various pieces housed mostly in their homes around the world. In 1980, they became friends and clients of Thomas Ammann, under whose influence they became passionate about Warhol and Twombly. .

Major milestones

• 1960 Beginning of partnership with Giancarlo Giammetti
• 1962 First international Gotha collection
• 1965 Valentino becomes leading Italian couturier
• 1967 Valentino receives a Neiman Marcus Award
• 1968 Valentino's reputation soared with the Collezione Bianca collection, which included a wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for her wedding to Onassis.
• 1969 Valentino's boutique line begins and the first store opens in Milan
• 1971 Opening of the first men's clothing store, Via Condotti, in Rome
• 1975 First fashion show of Valentino's Ready-to-Wear collection in Paris
• 1976 Boutique opens in Tokyo, Japan
• 1982 Publication of the book “Valentino” edited by Franco Ricci, presentation of the autumn/winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
• 1983 Valentino collaborates with the manufacturers of the Lincoln Continental. His contributions include unique color schemes for the 1983, 1984, 1985 models.
• 1984 25 years of creative activity of Valentino
• 1989 First show of the houte couture collection in Paris
• 1990 In February, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti founded the L.I.F.E Foundation, whose goal is to fight AIDS
• 1991 30 years in the world of fashion business, exhibition “Valentino: 30 Years of Magic”, organized by the mayor of Rome..
• 1995 Valentino returns to Italy on January 14 with a show at Stazione Leopolda
• 1996 Valentino is awarded the Order of Merit in Labor
• 2004 Launch of the V cosmetics line for women, followed by a perfume line for men
• 2006 Boutique opens in Boston, USA.
• 2007 Boutique opens in Bangkok, Thailand.
• 2007 Boutique opens in Honolulu, Hawaii
• 2007 Boutique opens in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• 2007 September 4 Valentino announces his retirement
• 2007 October 4 Valentino organizes his last show
• 2007 Boutique opens in Dallas, Texas at NorthPark Center
• 2008 Boutique opens in Atlanta, Georgia
• 2012 Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C acquired Valentino Fashion Group SpA from London-based investment fund Permira. The deal is valued at $850 million.

Awards and prizes

Filmography

• 2005 - “The Devil Wears Prada”, cameo role
• 2008 - Valentino: The Last Emperor / Valentino: The Last Emperor, documentary film.

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Notes

Links

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Excerpt characterizing Garavani, Valentino

He extended his luminous hand to my forehead and I felt a strange sensation of a slight “explosion”, after which a feeling appeared that was truly similar to a door opening... which, moreover, opened right in my forehead. I saw amazingly beautiful bodies, looking like huge multi-colored butterflies, coming out from the very center of my head... They lined up around me and, tied to me with the thinnest silver thread, created an amazingly colorful unusual flower... Vibrating along this “thread” a quiet and what It was an “unearthly” melody that evoked a feeling of peace and completeness in the soul.
For a moment I saw many transparent human figures standing around, but for some reason they all disappeared very quickly. Only my first guest remained, who was still touching my forehead with his hand and from his touch a very pleasant “sounding” warmth flowed into my body.
-Who are they? – I asked, pointing to the “butterflies”.
“It’s you,” came the answer again. - That's all you.
I couldn’t understand what he was talking about, but somehow I knew that real, pure and bright Good was coming from him. Suddenly, very slowly, all these unusual “butterflies” began to “melt” and turned into an amazing, starry fog sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow, which gradually began to flow back into me... A deep feeling of completion and something else appeared that I could not understand, but just felt it very strongly with all my gut.
“Be careful,” said my guest.
- Careful about what? – I asked.
“You were born...” was the answer.
His tall figure began to sway. The clearing began to spin. And when I opened my eyes, to my greatest regret, my strange stranger was no longer anywhere. One of the boys, Romas, stood opposite me and watched my “awakening”. He asked what I was doing here and whether I was going to pick mushrooms... When I asked him what time it was, he looked at me in surprise and answered and I realized that everything that happened to me took only a few minutes!..
I stood up (it turned out that I was sitting on the ground), brushed myself off and was about to walk, when suddenly I noticed a very strange detail - the entire clearing around us was green!!! As amazingly green as if we found it in early spring! And what was our general surprise when we suddenly noticed that even beautiful spring flowers appeared on it from somewhere! It was absolutely amazing and, unfortunately, completely inexplicable. Most likely, this was some kind of “side” phenomenon after the arrival of my strange guest. But, unfortunately, I could not explain or even understand this at that time.
-What did you do? – Romas asked.
“It’s not me,” I muttered guiltily.
“Well, let’s go then,” he agreed.
Romas was one of those rare friends of that time who was not afraid of my “antics” and was not surprised by anything that constantly happened to me. He simply believed me. And therefore I never had to explain anything to him, which for me was a very rare and valuable exception. When we returned from the forest, I was shaking with chills, but I thought that, as usual, I just had a little cold and decided not to bother my mother until something more serious happened. The next morning everything went away, and I was very pleased that this completely confirmed my “version” of the cold. But, unfortunately, the joy did not last long...

In the morning, as usual, I went to have breakfast. Before I had time to reach out to the cup of milk, the same heavy glass cup suddenly moved in my direction, spilling some of the milk on the table... I felt a little uneasy. I tried again - the cup moved again. Then I thought about bread... Two pieces lying nearby jumped up and fell to the floor. To be honest, my hair started to stand up... Not because I was scared. I wasn’t afraid of almost anything at that time, but it was something very “earthly” and concrete, it was nearby and I absolutely didn’t know how to control it...
I tried to calm down, took a deep breath and tried again. Only this time I didn’t try to touch anything, but decided to just think about what I wanted - for example, for the cup to be in my hand. Of course, this did not happen, she again just simply moved sharply. But I was jubilant!!! My whole insides simply squealed with delight, because I already realized that sharply or not, this was only happening at the request of my thought! And it was absolutely amazing! Of course, I immediately wanted to try the “new product” on all the living and inanimate “objects” around me...
The first one I came across was my grandmother, who at that moment was calmly preparing her next culinary “work” in the kitchen. It was very quiet, the grandmother was humming something to herself, when suddenly a heavy cast-iron frying pan jumped up like a bird on the stove and crashed onto the floor with a terrible noise... The grandmother jumped up in surprise no worse than the same frying pan... But, we must give her her due, right away pulled herself together and said:
- Stop it!
I felt a little offended, because no matter what happened, out of habit, they always blamed me for everything (although at the moment this, of course, was the absolute truth).
- Why do you think it’s me? – I asked pouting.
“Well, it seems like we don’t have ghosts yet,” the grandmother said calmly.
I loved her very much for her equanimity and unshakable calm. It seemed that nothing in this world could truly “unsettle” her. Although, naturally, there were things that upset her, surprised her, or made her sad, she perceived all this with amazing calm. And that’s why I always felt very comfortable and protected with her. Somehow, I suddenly felt that my last “prank” interested my grandmother... I literally “felt in my gut” that she was watching me and waiting for something else. Well, naturally, I didn’t keep myself waiting long... A few seconds later, all the “spoons and ladle” hanging over the stove flew down with a noisy roar behind the same frying pan...
“Well, well... Breaking is not building, I would do something useful,” the grandmother said calmly.
I was already choked with indignation! Well, please tell me, how can she treat this “incredible event” so calmly?! After all, this is... SUCH!!! I couldn’t even explain what it was, but I certainly knew that I couldn’t take what was happening so calmly. Unfortunately, my indignation did not make the slightest impression on my grandmother and she again calmly said:
“You shouldn’t spend so much effort on something you can do with your hands.” Better go read it.
My outrage knew no bounds! I couldn’t understand why what seemed so amazing to me didn’t cause any delight in her?! Unfortunately, I was still too young a child to understand that all these impressive “external effects” really do not give anything other than the same “external effects”... And the essence of all this is just intoxication with the “mysticism of the inexplicable” gullible and impressionable people, which my grandmother, naturally, was not... But since I had not yet matured to such an understanding, at that moment I was only incredibly interested in what else I could move. Therefore, without regret, I left my grandmother, who “did not understand” me, and moved on in search of a new object of my “experiments”...
At that time, my father’s favorite, a beautiful gray cat, Grishka, lived with us. I found him sleeping soundly on the warm stove and decided that this was just a very good moment to try my new “art” on him. I thought it would be better if he sat on the window. Nothing happened. Then I concentrated and thought harder... Poor Grishka flew off the stove with a wild cry and crashed his head on the windowsill... I felt so sorry for him and so ashamed that I, all around guilty, rushed to pick him up. But for some reason all the fur of the unfortunate cat suddenly stood on end and he, meowing loudly, rushed away from me, as if scalded by boiling water.
It was a shock for me. I didn’t understand what happened and why Grishka suddenly disliked me, although before that we were very good friends. I chased him almost all day, but, unfortunately, I was never able to beg for forgiveness... His strange behavior lasted for four days, and then our adventure was most likely forgotten and everything was fine again. But it made me think, because I realized that, without wanting it, with the same unusual “abilities” I can sometimes cause harm to someone.
After this incident, I began to take much more seriously everything that unexpectedly manifested itself in me and “experimented” much more carefully. All the following days, naturally, I simply fell ill with the mania of “movement.” I mentally tried to move everything that caught my eye... and in some cases, again, I got very disastrous results...
So, for example, I watched in horror as the shelves of neatly folded, very expensive, dad’s books fell “organically” onto the floor and with shaking hands I tried to put everything back in place as quickly as possible, since books were a “sacred” object in our house and Before you took them, you had to earn them. But, fortunately for me, my dad wasn’t at home at that moment and, as they say, this time it “blown away”...
Another very funny and at the same time sad incident happened with my dad’s aquarium. My father, as long as I remember him, was always very fond of fish and dreamed of one day building a large aquarium at home (which he later realized). But at that moment, for lack of anything better, we simply had a small round aquarium that could only hold a few colorful fish. And since even such a small “living corner” brought dad spiritual joy, everyone in the house looked after it with pleasure, including me.
And so, one “unfortunate” day, when I was just passing by, all busy with my “moving” thoughts, I accidentally looked at the fish and regretted that they, poor things, had so little space to live freely... The aquarium suddenly shook and, to my great horror, it burst, spilling water throughout the room. Before the poor fish had time to come to their senses, they were eaten with great appetite by our beloved cat, who suddenly, right from the sky, received such an unexpected pleasure... I felt really sad, since I in no way wanted to upset my dad , and even more so, to interrupt someone’s life, even a very small one.
That evening I was waiting for my dad in a completely broken state - it was very insulting and embarrassing to make such a stupid mistake. And although I knew that no one would punish me for this, for some reason I felt very bad in my soul and, as they say, the cats were scratching very loudly inside of me. I realized more and more that some of my “talents” could be very, very dangerous in certain circumstances. But, unfortunately, I didn’t know how to control this and therefore I became more and more worried about the unpredictability of some of my actions and about their possible consequences with results that were completely undesirable for me...
But I was still just a curious nine-year-old girl and could not worry for a long time about the tragically dead fish, although it was entirely my fault. I continued to diligently try to move everything that came my way and was incredibly happy about any unusual manifestation in my “research” practice. So, one fine morning during breakfast, my milk cup suddenly hung in the air right in front of me and continued to hang, and I had no idea how to lower it... My grandmother was in the kitchen at that moment and I was feverishly trying to figure out what to do. “to figure it out” so that you don’t have to blush and explain yourself again, expecting to hear complete disapproval on her part. But the unfortunate cup stubbornly refused to come back. On the contrary, she suddenly moved smoothly and, as if teasingly, began to describe wide circles over the table... And the funny thing is that I couldn’t grab her.
Grandma returned to the room and literally froze on the threshold with her cup in her hand. Of course, I immediately rushed to explain that “she just flies like that... and, isn’t it true, it’s very beautiful?”... In short, I tried to find any way out of the situation, just not to seem helpless. And then I suddenly felt very ashamed... I saw that my grandmother knew that I simply could not find the answer to the problem that had arisen and was trying to “disguise” my ignorance with some unnecessary beautiful words. Then I, indignant at myself, gathered my “bruised” pride into a fist and quickly blurted out:
- Well, I don’t know why she flies! And I don’t know how to lower it!
Grandma looked at me seriously and suddenly said very cheerfully:
- So try it! This is why your mind was given to you.
It’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders! I really didn’t like to seem incompetent, and especially when it came to my “strange” abilities. And so I tried... From morning to evening. Until I fell off my feet and began to feel like I no longer had any idea what I was doing. Some sage said that three paths lead to higher intelligence: the path of reflection is the noblest, the path of imitation is the easiest, and the path of experience on one’s own neck is the most difficult. So, apparently, for some reason I always chose the hardest path, since my poor neck really suffered greatly from my never-ending, endless experiments...
But sometimes “the game was worth the candle” and my hard work was crowned with success, as it finally happened with the same “movement”... After some time, any desired objects moved, flew, fell and rose when I I wanted this and it no longer seemed difficult to manage it at all... except for one very disappointingly missed incident, which, to my great regret, happened at school, which I always honestly tried to avoid. I absolutely didn’t need any extra talk about my “oddities,” and especially among my school friends!

Brand logo

Valentino is a famous Italian brand specializing in the production of women's and men's clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics. The founder is Valentino Garavani.

Story

The founder of the brand is Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani

The founder of the brand, Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, was born on May 11, 1932 in the town of Voghera, Lombardy region, Italy. In high school, Valentino began to become interested in fashion, and then he became an apprentice in the atelier of Ernestina Salvado, where he learned the basics of cutting and sewing. When the young man was seventeen years old, he moved to Paris and entered the School of Fine Arts, created with the support of the Haute Couture Syndicate. After graduating, Valentino tried to get a job as an assistant to the famous Spanish fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga, but he was refused. Then he received an invitation from Jean Desses.

In 1950, at the insistence of his parents, Garavani returned to his homeland, where he opened a small tailoring studio. In 1959, the fashion designer created a collection, which he presented at an international talent competition, where he was noticed by influential people in the fashion industry. in 1962, Valentino presented a new collection to the public, after which the whole world started talking about him, and his extraordinary beauty models were demonstrated in the best print publications. In the same year, Garavani, together with his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, officially registered the Valentino brand and opened the Fashion House.

Women's collection "Spring-Summer 2011"

In 1964, Valentino introduced its products to the United States for the first time, which attracted the attention of Jacqueline Kennedy. Immediately after the show, she ordered six black dresses from the designer, after which she became a true fan of the brand and a regular client of the Valentino Fashion House. In 1967, Valentino was awarded the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award. In 1968, the designer created a women's collection, made in white, each product of which was decorated with the company's new logo - the letter "V". The collection consisted of classic business suits, coats and exquisite hats. After the demonstration, Garavani was recognized as a trendsetter in Italian fashion. From that moment on, famous women of the 20th century began to use his services: Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, etc.

In 1969, the company began to open branded boutiques in many major cities around the world. In 1971, the designer developed a line of men's clothing, and in 1978 he introduced the first Valentino fragrance, which until 1991 remained the brand's only perfume. In 1988, a book was published telling about the life of the great couturier. The author of the book was the master Valentino Garavani himself, and the editor was Franco Ricci. That same year, the brand organized a show of its autumn-winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Shoes from Valentino Garavani

In 1989, Garavani opened the Valentino Fashion Academy in Rome, its premises were intended for presentations and exhibitions. In 1990, the fashion designer established the L.I.F.E. charity foundation, whose activities were aimed at fighting AIDS. A year later, in honor of the fashion brand’s thirtieth anniversary, the mayor of Rome organized the exhibition “Valentino: 30 Years of Magic.”

In 1998, the large Italian concern Partecipazioni Industriali bought the Valentino company for three hundred million dollars. In 2002, the brand was resold again, this time the Milanese holding Marzotto Appareli became its owner. Garvani continued to work for the benefit of the brand he created until September 4, 2007.

Valentino Garavani bag

A month after announcing his departure, Valentino organized a farewell show, presenting the “Ready-to-wear” women’s clothing collection to the fashion public.

In 2008, the post of chief designer was occupied by two people at once - Maria Grazia Chiuri and Per Paolo Picchioli. Today, the Valentino brand is popular among such personalities as Katherine Heigl, Jessica Simpson, Camila Belle, Jennifer Lopez, Molly Sims, Julia Roberts and others.

Main lines

Currently, the Valentino brand represents several lines on the world market.

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani is a world famous fashion designer from Italy, founder of the Valentino fashion house. The first Italian to conquer Paris, winner of many prizes and awards for outstanding achievements in the field of fashion. Member of the Parisian Fashion Syndicate (Chambre Syndicate des cou-turies).

The future outstanding couturier was born on May 11, 1932 in the northern (Lombardia) small town of Voghera, into an ordinary, unremarkable Italian Catholic family. Mother Teresa de Biaggi was a housewife, and father Mauro Garavani sold light bulbs.

As a child, Valentino was a calm, focused child. Drawing became his great passion; he depicted on paper everything he saw around him: nature, mountains, people.

The boy often went to help his aunt Rosa, who was engaged in tailoring clothes for the local dressmaker Ernestina Salvadeo. In textbooks and notebooks, he often made pencil sketches of invented clothing models. While still a teenager, he expressed to his parents his desire to engage in modeling. They were not delighted with their son’s choice, assuming that he would still go to study at the medical or law faculty, but they did not interfere with him.

Education

The father of the Garavani family did not have much money, but found a way to pay for his son’s education when he enrolled in the Italian Fashion School (Scuola Italiana di Moda). Valentino was a diligent student and eagerly absorbed new knowledge, but he was attracted by Paris, the center of world fashion. Therefore, studying the French language and various fashion trends of leading couturiers became the main thing at this stage of life for young Valentino. Parents continue to pay for their son’s education even when he enters the School of the Syndicate of Haute Couture (Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne).

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The capital of France struck the imagination of an impressionable young man with some unusual things and phenomena. Over the next eight years, he managed to study and at the same time take dance lessons, and here he became an avid theatergoer.

In addition to the educational institution that Valentino entered as soon as he arrived in, he managed to gain experience in the fashion empires of Jean Desses and Guy Laroche. Dessay was able to discern a special talent in his student and began to help him. It was he who taught Garavani to dress women in such a way that they would want to be undressed.

At this time, the beginning couturier developed a distinctive feature of all his subsequent collections - the incredible femininity and seductiveness of the created models, emphasizing the natural feminine beauty. The Parisian bohemianism of the outfits is combined with the frank sexuality of Italian fashionistas.

First confession

In 1958, Garavani settled in the Italian capital, where he returned with his close friend, model and lover Gerald Nanti, and opened his first own atelier on Via Condotti. A year later, under the influence of Jean Dessay, he creates his first collection, which differs from the models already presented on the catwalks with its tight-fitting silhouettes, elegant fabrics and fine embroidery.

The outfits called on women to become more sophisticated, to show sophistication, to show their desire to be under the protection of a man. The collection was successful and won a prize in the International Wool Secretariat tender, which opened many doors for the young designer.

In 1962, again a stunning success, this time in Florence (Firenze), at the Pitti Palace Hotel with a new collection. The models were liked not only by fans of new products, but also by other fashion designers, as well as critics and journalists. The success was fueled by numerous orders from future customers. Soon the fashion world clearly felt that a new star named Garavani had lit up in its firmament.

Fashion house

The inspired fashion designer comes home victorious and decides to open his own Fashion House and debut boutique. Garavani's first celebrity customer is the English-American film actress Elizabeth Taylor. She became the owner of a snow-white outfit with a large neckline and attended the premiere of the film “Spartacus” in the Italian capital.

With Taylor's light hand, Garavani soon had such famous Hollywood clients as: Grace Kelly, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Lange, Audrey Hepburn , Brooke Shields, Courtney Love and others.

Garavani's models were noticed not only by movie stars, wealthy fans of the steel brand and members of royal families: Jordanian Princess Firyal Irshaid, British Princess Margaret Rose from Great Britain, Princess Rosario from Bulgaria. The wife of the 40th President of the United States, Nancy Davis Reagan, wore clothes only from Garavani during her presidency.

Peak of creativity

The year 1967 in Garavani’s biography is marked by another triumph. The thirty-five-year-old maestro presented the world with the amazing “White collection” spring-autumn 1968 and dedicated it to the wife of the 35th President of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy. Subsequently, the couturier was never able to outshine himself and create models better than these. It was at this show that the symbol of a successful fashion house first appeared - the “V” sign, world famous today.

White colors have become a sign of success for Garavani, and he continues to conduct various experiments with them. The maestro's wedding dresses are surprisingly elegant.

In 1968, one of these outfits was advertised by all media outlets in the world. Jacqueline Kennedy wore a short model in lace when she married billionaire Aristotle Onassis.

But, despite the dizzying successes of snow-white models, Valentino still prefers red, considering it the most unique of the entire color palette.

Duet with Giammetti

In the early 1970s. Garavani meets his future partner and close friend Giancarlo Giammetti, a student at the university's architecture department. Soon Giancarlo leaves his studies to do business with a new friend. His business acumen, business acumen and design talent allowed the Valentino fashion house to conquer the whole world. In 1968, the partners registered a boutique in the capital of France, then throughout Europe and Japan.

Since 1972, designers have begun creating collections and accessories for men, participating in the development of work suits, textiles, and furniture.

In 1978, Soviet and American ballet dancer and actor Mikhail Baryshnikov became the face of the first Valentino fragrance at the first show of the ballet “La Dame de Pique” at les Champs-Elysees.

Since 1975, fashion designers have become regular participants in Paris Fashion Week twice a year. At each show, they always present more than fifty models, distinguished by their simplicity of cut, the absence of unnecessary seams, folds and grooves.

In 1988, the head office of the Valentino Fashion House moved to Piazza di Spagna in the capital of Italy to Palazzo Mignanelli, built in the sixteenth century. All rooms of the palazzo have many large mirrors and about three thousand mannequins in period costumes. All Garavani boutiques are more like palaces. Here, visitors drink coffee from silver cups and sit on antique furniture from the eighteenth century.

In 1990, in the capital of Italy, according to the design of architect Thomas Ziffer, the Valentino Fashion Academy was built, created to promote talented emerging fashion designers and present art exhibitions.

That same year, partners Garavani and Giammetti, together with Elizabeth Taylor, formed the Life Association (L.I.F.E.), an HIV relief company.

Selling a business

In 1998, the Valentino fashion empire was bought by the Milan-based Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali (HPI) for $283 million.

Garavani will remain as chief designer. In 2002, it was acquired by the Marzotto Group concern, maintaining established trends and continuing to adhere to previous directions.

On October 4, 2007, to endless applause, Garavani organized a show of the final Ready-to-wear collection designed for women in Paris.

Personal life

Not many individuals can boast that they have access to the personal life of a fashion designer. He occasionally invites some celebrities to his residences in Rome, New York and the Capri, but he never gathers large companies and rarely participates in public parties and meetings.

He does not like small talk, preferring reading fiction, watching films and collecting antiques.

Among the items in his collection are those brought from Tsarist Russia: silver salt shakers, furniture, works by Marc Chagall. The collected collection inspires the maestro to create new masterpieces. Thanks to her, a “Tatar” coat with sable fur, a jacket with gold threads (in honor of Evdokia Lopukhina) and a chiffon outfit with an image of St. Basil’s Cathedral were born.

In 2008, Garavani left the business. He no longer creates and sews new models.

Family

Throughout his life, Valentino loves one and only woman - fashion model and actress Marilu Tolo, but they never got married and had children.

For twelve years, Giammetti was Garavani's lover, but no one knew about their relationship, except for some close friends. Even their relatives were not aware of such a close relationship between the partners.

• Bulgarian Princess Rosario is not only a fan of the Garavani Fashion House, but also its designer. The petite brunette is participating in the development of the “V-Zone” line for young people.
• In 1964, Garavani made as many as six mourning dresses for Kennedy's widow, forever winning her favor.
• In 1982, Garavani published his autobiography, Valentino.
• In 1983, Valentino designed the Lincoln Continental, a luxury passenger car.
• In 2005, Valentino starred in the comedy-drama The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel, as himself.

• Garavani has six pugs that accompany him everywhere.
• The fashion designer is a supporter of a healthy lifestyle; he practices Pilates, eats vegetables, fish and meat.
• After the meter retired, he created the virtual museum “Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum”, where you can view all his collections, sketches and sketches online.

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