For four decades, Valentino Garavani, or just Valentino to everyone in the fashion world, has been one of the biggest names in the industry and is known for classic designs and some of the most elegant evening wear ever created.
He was born in Italy in 1932 and as a child developed interests in painting, architecture and fashion. He also showed immense promise as an artist, particularly drawing, and studied design and fashion at the Accademia dell Arte in Milan.
From here he went on to Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, where he began to truly make his mark.
He moved to Paris to study fashion while still a teenager and took dance lessons. Then, while still studying, he won a prize for fashion design from the International Wool Secretariat, an award later won by Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Lauren. After this accolade, he was picked out by couturier Jean Desses and got his first design job in his fashion house in 1950.
Here he would stay for five years before working for Guy Laroche, and by 1960 he decided to set up as a designer in his own right and set up a collection and salon in Rome.
This proved a good decision almost immediately, and his early fans included Elisabeth Taylor who caught on to his designs while filming in Italy.
It has been his long quest to produce clothing which outlines a womans sensuality and celebrates the female form. He achieved another boost in 1960 when Fedrico Fellinis La Dolce Vita was released at the same time Valentino opened his first store, with women across the world looking to mimic the style seen in the film.
He became one of the most famous names of the 1960s, particularly in France, where he won praise for long skirts at a time when minis were popular. Eventually there came a boutique in Paris and the launch of the of V label. In 1967 he was awarded the Neiman Marcus Prize and three years later the first ready-to-wear line emerged and more stores were opened.
At home in Italy, in 1986, he won the highest award possible, the Calvaliere di Gran Croce, presented by the President Cossiga.
He celebrated 30 years in fashion in 1991 and threw a party lasting three days which cost around five million dollars, according to reports. Around 1,600 guests attended the finale dinner at the Villa Medici, including Elizabeth Taylor, and an exhibition honouring the designer also featured.
Most recently he is known for an impressive list of Oscar gowns and also for designing the wedding dresses of the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Jennifer Lopez.
Besides this he has also designed clothing for Julia Roberts, Claudia Schiffer and Princess Margaret, and is known for his own immaculately stylish and well kept appearance- wearing clothes by his own label and Ralph Lauren. Along with his business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, he sold the fashion empire for £211 million in 1998. |
