"I know what women want. They simply want to be beautiful!"
- Valentino Garavani
A Boy Created for Fashion
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born in the Lombardian city of Voghera in the northern part of Italy on May 11, 1932. He always knew he would become a fashion designer. When asked in one interview whether he ever imagined a life outside the fashion industry, Valentino Garavani vehemently denied it three times. "I remember when I was a little boy, I pretended to sleep and dreamt of Hollywood movie stars and all the beautiful things in the world. My mother used to tell me then: you're a dreamer and you're constantly chasing stupid things!” His love for the beauty of movie imagery was instilled in him by his sister, who was the first one to take little Valentino to the cinema. He fell in love with Hedy Lamarr, Judy Garland, and Jimmy Stewart.
His first experience with designing clothes came as a little boy, when under the watchful eye of his aunt he helped in the workshop of local designer Ernestine Salvadeo. At the age of 17, absolutely convinced of his professional calling, he moved to Paris to receive directional education at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts. In Paris, he also interned with Jacques Fath, later with Cristobal Balenciaga. After finishing school, he became a student of Jean Desses. The work with the master was so important to him that he decided to sketch every moment spent in his boutique, and it was precisely this moment in his career that determined his style and aesthetics of design. Before returning to his native Italy, he also completed a two-year internship at the then emerging fashion house of Guy Laroche.
Home is Best
In 1959, after a serious conversation with his supportive, including financially, parents, Valentino moved to Rome and started building his empire on the legendary Via Condotti. The family business, despite prosperity in the first years, didn't achieve great success. In 1960, Valentino met his lifelong partner, in life and in business, Giancarlo Giammetti. Together they founded the brand Valentino SpA.
The real breakthrough in Valentino's solo career was in 1962 and the international show at Pitti Palace in Florence. The dream of a little boy from Lombardy dreaming of beauty came true, and his fashion house became a favorite place for international aristocracy and stars. His clients included, among others: Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor, Queen of Belgium Paola, Audrey Hepburn, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Just five years after his loud debut in Florence, Maestro Valentino received the fashion Oscar – the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award. He won this title thanks to his innovative "no color collection", in which he presented a series of dresses in shades of white, beige, and ivory. It was with this collection that the universally recognizable symbol V, as Valentino, was created.
Valentino Red
Valentino is the true king of haute couture. "I've always searched for brilliance and beauty because I was crazy about the silver screen points and stars who were always spectacularly dressed, simply perfect."
His monumental approach to fashion translated into absolutely stunning dresses, making Valentino's women real princesses.
Valentino's hallmark became gala dresses in shades of red. Valentino is one of the few designers who have their own color. The so-called Valentino red, according to the Oxford dictionary, is a standout orange.
In the 70s, riding the wave of successes, Valentino created clothing lines branded as: Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino. In 2007, Master Valentino announced that he intended to organize his last show at the Rodin Museum. Although the designer has been retired for a full decade, he occasionally returns to the world of fashion to once again create the ideal woman with the magic of his designs. After ending his active career, he decided to document the process of creating his collection in the film Valentino: The Last Emperor of Fashion.
Valentino - The Way to Success
Today, every woman in the world dreams of a dress from Valentino, and his key to success, as he himself emphasizes, is that he perfectly knows what a woman needs - to simply be beautiful.
A Valentino woman is a woman with taste, who knows perfectly well what she wants. The designer's masterpieces are created during discussions with potential clients – only in such a creative process does the master know he can achieve a unique effect.
Valentino is a unique cultivator of beauty, who can express some quite controversial views on women's approach to style. In one of his interviews, he said: "When I see a woman very, very, very, very relaxed, dressed in joggers, I feel very sorry for her. For me, a woman is like a beautiful bouquet of flowers, which should always be wonderful, satisfied, and perfect. Because we were created to always be the best version of ourselves!".
