Valentino (fashion designer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valentino
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Valentino at the Cannes Film Festival 2007
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| Born |
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani
11 May 1932 Voghera, Italy
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| Education | École des Beaux-Arts, Paris |
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Label(s)
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Valentino |
| Partner(s) | Marilù Tolo Giancarlo Giammetti |
| Parent(s) | Teresa de Biaggi Mauro Garavani |
| Awards | Grande ufficiale dell' Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana, Cavaliere del Lavoro, The Neiman Marcus Award, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur |
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani (born May 11, 1932), known simply as Valentino, is a famous Italian fashion designer. He is the person who started the Valentino brand and company. His main clothing lines include Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino.
Contents
Valentino's Fashion Journey
Early Life and Learning in Paris
Valentino was born in Voghera, a town in Italy. His mother named him after the movie star Rudolph Valentino. He became interested in fashion when he was in primary school. He learned from his aunt Rosa and a local designer named Ernestina Salvadeo.
With help from his parents, Valentino moved to Paris, France. There, he studied fashion at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. He also worked as an apprentice for famous designers like Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. After five years in Paris, he decided to return to Italy.
Starting His Fashion House in Rome
In 1960, Valentino opened his own fashion house in Rome, Italy. He chose a fancy street called Via Condotti. His father and a business partner helped him. His place was like a grand "maison de haute couture," which means a high-fashion design house. Everything was very fancy, and models came from Paris for his first show.
Valentino quickly became known for his beautiful red dresses. This special shade of red became famous in the fashion world as "Valentino red."
On July 31, 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome. Giancarlo was studying architecture. They quickly became friends and business partners. Giancarlo helped Valentino manage the business side of his fashion house.
Becoming Famous in Florence
Valentino's fashion designs first became known around the world in 1962. This happened at a fashion show in Florence, which was Italy's fashion capital at the time.
In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of the U.S. President, saw one of Valentino's designs. She loved it so much that she contacted him. Valentino sent a model and some of his designs to her apartment in New York. Mrs. Kennedy ordered six of his special "haute couture" dresses. She wore them during her year of mourning after President John F. Kennedy passed away.
From then on, Jacqueline Kennedy was a loyal customer and friend. Valentino later designed the white dress she wore when she married Aristotle Onassis. In 1966, Valentino moved his fashion shows from Florence to Rome. Two years later, he created a famous all-white collection that featured his special "V" logo.
Fashion Trends in the 1970s
During the 1970s, Valentino's designs followed the popular trends. He created midiskirts worn over miniskirts, fitted boots, and trousers. He also included some styles inspired by different cultures.
In 1971, he combined bright midis and knee-length skirts with popular hot pants. He also continued to show different types of trousers. Valentino was known for his well-made, tailored clothes. At one point, he brought back styles from the 1940s, like platform shoes and padded shoulders.
In 1972, he started the year with trousers but ended it by showing only skirts. He also used brighter colors and prints, moving away from his usual cream and red. His evening dresses often had ruffles and uneven hems. His "V" logo was sometimes very noticeable and other times very subtle.
Later in the 1970s, fashion moved towards fuller, more relaxed styles. Valentino included some of these, like dirndl skirts and layered looks. However, he also kept some of his more structured and fancy designs. He returned to his signature monochrome (one color) or bicolor (two colors) clothing groups.
Along with other designers, he continued to show structured jackets and dresses with padded shoulders. These styles, along with accessories like hats and gloves, became very popular and helped Valentino gain even more fame.
Throughout the 1970s, Valentino spent a lot of time in New York City. Important people like Vogue editor Diana Vreeland and artist Andy Warhol welcomed him.
Fashion in the 1980s
Valentino was a favorite designer of actress Joan Collins. She was a star in the popular TV show Dynasty in the 1980s. This show helped make Valentino's name even more known to the public. His style at the time included fancy ballgowns, cocktail dresses, and sharply tailored suits with broad shoulders, inspired by the 1940s and 1950s.
Some things stayed the same in his 1980s collections: his use of color groups, his love for showing luxury, broad shoulder padding, and a more comfortable fit. He continued to show his ready-to-wear collections in Paris and his special couture collections in Rome.
In the early 1980s, he mostly followed the trend of short, narrow skirts with broad-shouldered tops. He also showed longer, looser dresses and different pant styles. By the mid-1980s, fashion experts often ranked him among the top designers in Paris. In 1985, he even added his name to a line of designer jeans. Like other designers, he showed various miniskirts throughout the 1980s.
From 1983 to 1985, Valentino also designed a special "Valentino Edition" for the Lincoln Continental car.
The Accademia Valentino
In 1990, the Accademia Valentino opened in Rome. It was designed by architect Tommaso Ziffer. This was a cultural space near Valentino's design studio where art exhibitions could be held.
The next year, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti started L.I.F.E. This organization helps people with HIV/AIDS. The Accademia Valentino's activities helped raise money for L.I.F.E.
Company Changes
In 1998, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti sold their company. Later, in 2002, the Valentino company was sold again to a large textile company called Marzotto Apparel. Since 2012, the Valentino fashion house has been owned by Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C., a company from Qatar. Today, Valentino has over 160 stores and more than 1300 sales points in over 90 countries.
Valentino's Retirement
On September 4, 2007, Valentino announced he would retire in January 2008. His last women's ready-to-wear show was in Paris on October 4.
His final special "haute couture" show took place in Paris on January 23, 2008, at the Musée Rodin. Many famous models came back to walk in his last show, including Eva Herzigová, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, and Nadja Auermann. The audience gave him a standing ovation.
In 2012–2013, a big exhibition about Valentino's life and work opened in London. It showed more than 130 of his beautiful haute couture designs.
After Valentino retired, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli became the new Creative Directors of the brand. In 2016, Pierpaolo Piccioli became the only Creative Director for all Valentino collections.
Movies Featuring Valentino
In 2006, Valentino made a small appearance as himself in the popular movie The Devil Wears Prada.
A full-length documentary film about the designer, called Valentino: The Last Emperor, was shown for the first time in 2008. The film followed Valentino and his close group of friends and staff for over two years. It showed his life and work, including the celebration of his 45-year career. The filmmakers had special access to Valentino, allowing them to capture many great moments.
Awards and Honors
On July 6, 2006, the French president gave Valentino the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, a very important French award. During celebrations for his 45th year in fashion, the Mayor of Rome announced that a Valentino Museum would be built in the city. On January 24, 2008, Valentino received the Medal of the City of Paris for his contributions to fashion in the city where he studied.
On September 7, 2011, Valentino received the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
In 2017, Valentino received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. In 2023, he won the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' at the Fashion Awards.
Valentino's Homes
Valentino and his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti own several homes and apartments around the world. These include:
- A villa in Rome, Italy, bought in 1972.
- A 19th-century mansion in London, England.
- A penthouse apartment in New York City, overlooking Central Park.
- Château de Wideville, a castle near Paris, France. Valentino bought this 17th-century castle in 1995 and had it restored.
- Chalet Gifferhorn in Gstaad, Switzerland, where he spends winter holidays.
Valentino also spends time at Giancarlo Giammetti's homes, which include:
- An 18th-century villa in Cetona, Tuscany, Italy.
- A penthouse apartment in Paris, France.
- An apartment in Kensington, London.
- A penthouse in New York City.
- A penthouse in Via Condotti, Rome.
Personal Life
In the 2008 film Valentino: The Last Emperor, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti talk about how they met in Rome in 1960. They have been close friends and partners for over 50 years.
Valentino's mother, Teresa, moved to Rome to help him with his business. Valentino is known for his love of dogs, especially pugs. He even named a clothing line after his late pug, Oliver. Today, Valentino owns six pugs. When he travels on his private jet, his pugs often travel with him in their own car.
Images for kids
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A wedding dress by Valentino
