Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani (Italian pronunciation:[valenˈtiːnoɡaraˈvaːni]; born 11 May 1932), known mononymously as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer, the founder of the Valentino brand and company. His main lines include Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino.
Career
Early life and 1950s Paris years
Valentino was born in Voghera, in the Italian province of Pavia, on the 11th of May 1932. His mother named him after screen idolRudolph Valentino.[2] He became interested in fashion while in primary school in his native Voghera, when he apprenticed under his aunt Rosa and local designer Ernestina Salvadeo, an aunt of noted artist Aldo Giorgini. Valentino then moved to Paris to pursue this interest with the help of his mother Teresa de Biaggi and his father Mauro Garavani. There Valentino studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.[3]
After five years, Valentino left Jean Dessès over an incident about prolonging a vacation in Saint-Tropez that still makes him uncomfortable today.[citation needed] Rescued by his friend Laroche, he joined his "tiny, tiny" fashion house. After discussions with his parents, he decided to return to Italy and set up in Rome in 1959, as pupil of Emilio Schuberth and then collaborated with Vincenzo Ferdinandi's atelier before opening his own fashion house.
In 1960 Valentino left Paris and opened a fashion house in Rome on the posh Via Condotti with the backing of his father and an associate of his. More than an atelier, the premises resembled a real "maison de haute couture". Everything was very grand and models flew in from Paris for his first show. Valentino became known for his red dresses, in the bright shade that became known in the fashion industry as "Valentino red".[citation needed]
On 31 July 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti at the Café de Paris on the Via Veneto in Rome. One of three children, Giammetti was in his second year of architecture school, living at home with his parents in the haut bourgeois Parioli section of Northern Rome. That day Giammetti gave Valentino a lift home in his Fiat and a friendship, as well as a long-lasting partnership, started. The day after, Giammetti was to leave for Capri for vacation and, by coincidence, Valentino was also going there, so they met again on the island 10 days later. Giammetti would shortly thereafter abandon the University to become Valentino's business and life partner. When Giammetti arrived, the business situation of Valentino's atelier was in fact not brilliant: in one year he had spent so much money that his father's associate pulled out of the business, and had to fight against bankruptcy.[4]
Breakthrough in Florence (1962–1967)
Valentino's international debut took place in 1962 in Florence, the Italian fashion capital of the time.[3]
At some point in 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy had seen Gloria Schiff, the twin sister of the Rome-based fashion editor of American Vogue and Valentino's friend Consuelo Crespi, wearing a two-piece ensemble in black organza at a gathering. It made such an impression that Kennedy contacted Ms. Schiff to learn the name of the ensemble's designer, which was Valentino. In September 1964, Valentino was to be in the United States to present a collection of his work at a charity ball at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Mrs. Kennedy wanted to view the collection but could not attend the event, so Valentino decided to send a model, sales representative and a selection of key pieces from his collection to Mrs. Kennedy's apartment on Fifth Avenue. Mrs. Kennedy ordered six of his haute couture dresses, all in black and white, and wore them during her year of mourning following President John F. Kennedy's assassination. From then on, she was a devoted client[5] and would become a friend.[citation needed] Valentino would later design the white Valentino gown worn by Kennedy at her wedding to Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis.[6] In 1966 he moved his shows from Florence to Rome where two years later he produced an all-white collection that became famous for the "V" logo he designed.[7]
1970s
Throughout the 1970s, Valentino's womenswear for both couture and ready-to-wear generally followed the trends of the time, opening the decade with an emphasis on midiskirts[8] worn over miniskirts,[9][10] fitted, knee-high boots, trousers,[11] and some ethnic looks,[12][13] mostly with a fit-and-flare silhouette.[14][15] In 1971, he paired more brightly colored[16] midis and knee-length skirts[17] with that year's vogue for hot pants,[18][19] also continuing to show trousers like culottes and knickers with the gently flared standard trouser of the time.[20] He was noted for his tailored clothes.[21] A forties revival was a focus for a time,[22] and Valentino showed platform shoes,[23] padded shoulders, and knee-length skirts,[24] along with occasional forays into thirties and fifties styles,[25] all kept modern by an emphasis on pants.[26]
In 1972, he started the year favoring trousers but ended it showing only skirts,[27] including being one of the only designers to present day dresses in a period dominated by separates.[28] He did, though, endorse the favored full sleeves[29] and layering[30][31] that were seen on many runways and continued to move away from his trademark monotone or bicolor palette, often cream and/or red,[32][33][34] and moved into brighter colors and prints.[35] He did knee-length, square-shouldered forties revival again in 1973,[36][37] continuing with bright prints, including a Bakst influence.[38] During these early seventies collections, his evening styles were often ruffled[39] and sometimes had asymmetric hems,[40] and his V logo ranged from prominent[41] to subtle, sometimes paving seemingly every surface, as in 1970,[42][43] other times a single, barely discernible letter on a belt or scarf.[44]
The mid-seventies move toward fuller peasant silhouettes was seen in Valentino's work somewhat – dirndl skirts,[45] off-the-shoulder flounces, petticoats,[46] blousons,[47] shawls,[48] ponchos,[49] and layering,[50] but he deemphasized the look's characteristic boots[51] and was sometimes criticized for including styles that were too heavily constructed and stiff in this period of minimal construction and flowing shapes,[52][53] as well as for emphasizing conspicuous-consumption wealth projection during the more egalitarian atmosphere that prevailed in the mid-seventies.[54] He did, though, return to his serviceable presentation of monochrome and bicolor garment groupings.[55]
With the high-fashion world's Fall 1978 move toward big shoulders, more formal suits, and a more conspicuous-consumption, 1940s-50s-retro style, Valentino presented shapes that echoed the big shoulders of the 1930s[56] and adopted the blatantly seductive styles being favored by designers in narrow, slit skirts[57] and black bras worn on their own under padded-shoulder jackets.[58][59] Along with many other designers, he continued to show this style the following year in stiffly structured, broad-shouldered jackets[60] and dresses presented with forties-fifties accessories like hats, gloves, and cinch belts.[61] This padded-shoulder, high-glamour style would continue to dominate fashion into the eighties and bring Valentino unprecedented fame.[62]
Throughout the 1970s Valentino spent considerable time in New York City, where his presence was embraced by society personalities such as Vogue's editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland and the art icon Andy Warhol.[citation needed]
1980s
Valentino was one of the favorite designers of actress Joan Collins,[63] famous as one of the stars of the popular US television show Dynasty, which ran from 1981 to 1989, bringing the designer additional visibility and name recognition among the public.[64][65] The era's conspicuous-consumption, 1940s-50s-inspired ballgowns, cocktail dresses,[66] and broad-shouldered, sharply tailored suits[67][68] were taken up with aplomb by Valentino, whose style at the time was similar to that of Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.[69][70]
A few themes remained constant throughout his eighties collections: his familiar color groupings;[71][72][73] his penchant for blatant displays of luxury, wealth, and opulence;[74][75][76][77][78] broad shoulder padding;[79][80] and a more comfortable cut than he was showing at the start of the big-shoulder era at the end of the seventies.[81] He continued to show his ready-to-wear collections in Paris and his couture collections in Rome.
In the first half of the eighties, he mostly followed the short, narrow skirt line with broad-shouldered tops also followed by Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Ungaro, and others,[82][83][84] but also presented longer, looser looks,[85][86] the chemise dresses of the era,[87][88] and a variety of pant shapes.[89] During the mid-eighties, the fashion press and buyers often rated him higher than all other Paris designers,[90][91][92][93] ranking him with Saint Laurent[94][95] and Lagerfeld.[96] He felt confident enough with this elevated stature that in 1985 he added his moniker to a line of designer jeans.[97] Like other designers, he showed a variety of miniskirts throughout the eighties among his other lengths and garments,[98] and he joined the rest of the fashion world in 1987-88 in showing almost exclusively mini lengths for two seasons[99][100] and then followed his colleagues by the end of 1988 in retreating from an exclusive mini-length focus.[101][102]
From 1983 to 1985, Valentino contributed a specially appointed Valentino Edition to the Continental line of US luxury automaker Lincoln.[103][104][105][106]
The Accademia Valentino
1990 marked the opening of the Accademia Valentino, designed by architect Tommaso Ziffer, a cultural space located near Valentino's atelier in Rome, for the presentation of art exhibitions. The next year, encouraged by their friend Elizabeth Taylor, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti created L.I.F.E., an association for the support of AIDS-related patients, which benefits from the activities of the Accademia Valentino.[107]
From HdP group to Marzotto group
In 1998 Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti sold the company for approximately US$300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate controlled, in part, by the late Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat. In 2002, Valentino S.p.A., with revenues of more than $180 million, was sold by HdP to Marzotto Apparel, a Milan-based textile giant, for $210 million. Maison Valentino is controlled since 2012 by Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C., a holding company sustained by a group of private investors from Qatar. It is present in over 90 countries through 160 Valentino directly operated boutiques and over 1300 points of sale.
On 4 September 2007, Valentino announced that he would retire fully in January 2008[108] from the world stage after his last haute couture show in Paris. He delivered his last women's ready-to-wear show in Paris on 4 October.
His last haute couture show was presented in Paris at the Musée Rodin on 23 January 2008. It was, however, somewhat marred by his criticism of fellow Italian design duo Dolce & Gabbana,[109] and the death of Australian actor Heath Ledger, although few allowed these things to detract from his final show, which received a standing ovation from the entire audience that included hundreds of notable names from all areas of show business. Many models returned to attend Valentino's last haute couture show; the audience included Eva Herzigová, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Nadja Auermann, Karolína Kurková and Karen Mulder.[110]
In September 2007, Valentino decided to leave the Creative Direction of his brand. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were first nominated Creative Directors of all accessories lines, and the following year, they were appointed Creative Directors of Valentino, guiding all collections, from Prêt-à-Porter to Haute Couture. In June 2015 the Creative Directors were bestowed with the prestigious CFDA International Award, recognition that paid homage to the professional path and to the success of the Maison. On 7 July 2016 Maison Valentino nominated Pierpaolo Piccioli its sole Creative Director of the Maison.
In March 2024, it was announced that Alessandro Michele would take over as creative director following his departure from Gucci.
Valentino: The Last Emperor a feature-length documentary film on the designer, premiered at the 2008 Venice International Film Festival. Produced and directed by Matt Tyrnauer, special correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, the film follows Valentino and his inner circle throughout various events, including last year's anniversary show celebrating his 45-year career.
During the movie's production from June 2005 to July 2007, the filmmakers shot more than 250 hours of footage with exclusive, unprecedented access to Valentino and his entourage. "We were let in to the inner circle, but we had to stick it out for a long time, practically move in, to capture the truly great moments", says Tyrnauer. "Valentino is surrounded by a tight-knit family of friends and employees, but, eventually, their guard came down and they forgot there was a camera crew in the room." The film had its North American premiere at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in the United States on 18 March in New York City and selected cities.[112]
Honors
On 6 July 2006, French president Jacques Chirac awarded Valentino the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. During the festivities for the 45th year of Valentino's career, the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, announced that the site of the Valentino Museum would be a building in via San Teodoro in Rome, between the Palatine Hill and the Bocca della Verità. On 24 January 2008, Valentino was presented with the Medal of the City of Paris for his services to fashion in the city where he was educated.
On 7 September 2011, Valentino was presented with the sixth annual Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology at a benefit luncheon held at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center in New York City.[113]
Valentino and his associate Giancarlo Giammetti share homes and apartments around the world including the following:
Villa on the Via Appia Antica, a historical landmark in Rome bought in 1972.[120] The villa is decorated by Renzo Mongiardino and Adrian Magistretti with influences of China, Italy, and France.
19th century mansion in Holland Park, London. The centerpiece of this mansion is the grand salon that houses five late Picassos and a small salon with two Basquiats and one painting by Damien Hirst.[121]
Château de Wideville [fr], a castle in the communes of Crespières and Davron near Paris. A 17th-century residence outside Paris, Château of Wideville was built by Louis XIII's finance minister and later home to one of Louis XIV's mistresses. Valentino acquired the eight-bedroom castle in 1995 and commissioned its restoration to the eminent interior decorator Henri Samuel. The castle comprises 280-acre gardens designed by Wirtz International, a pigeonnier tower, a pavilion containing a shell grotto, a building housing the archives of Valentino Garavani Archives. The chateau stairway is flanked by stone dogs carved in the 17th century by the French artist Jacques Sarazin. Valentino stages always organizes a theme party at the castle during the fashion weeks in Paris.
Chalet Gifferhorn in Gstaad, Switzerland where he spends winter celebrations. The house has paintings of Arcimboldo and the famous sheep-shaped furniture by les Lalanne.
Valentino also spends half of his time in Giancarlo Giammetti's homes:
18th-century Villa "La Vagnola" in Cetona, Tuscany which Giancarlo Giammetti purchased in 1986. Renowned Italian decorator Renzo Mongiardino created enchanted interiors inspired by the villa's classical gardens. For twenty-five years Giancarlo Giammetti and Valentino vacationed here to escape the pressures of Rome and their international jet set lifestyle.
Portions of the property date back to the 16th-century but it was in 1750, on the occasion of his marriage to Maria Antonietta Vagnoli, that the nobleman Sallustio Terrosi started building the villa. The villa's decoration includes Empire pieces and Chinese wooden figurines which once adorned the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and Empire settee that belonged to Princess Mathilde, Napoleon's niece, 2,100 rare books that Giammetti miraculously returned to the villa, missing since the 1960s. The design of the spare all-white kitchen was given to one of Giammetti's friends, architect Tommaso Ziffer, a young decorator at the time.
The "Sophia Loren" guest room was so named in honor of the room's inaugural guest, richly appointed in Old World style with a lacy ceiling designed by Mongiardino. Paolo Peyrone, a pupil of the English landscape designer Russell Page, assisted with the design of the landscaping around the house. The 18th-century stable, as it was photographed in the 1980s, became an orangery with an upstairs exercise room. The villa has a pool pavilion named "La Turkerie" standing in the middle of the garden was built by the Terrosi-Vagnoli family in 1837 in honor of a visiting pasha.
In the 2008 film Valentino: The Last Emperor, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti discuss how they met on 30 July 1960 in Via Veneto, the epicenter of Rome's Dolce Vita. They have been together ever since, for more than 50 years,[112] although their love relationship ended in 1972. As told by Giancarlo in his private memoirs, in 1973 Valentino met 19-year-old Carlos Souza at the Hippopotamus club in Rio de Janeiro, dating him until Carlos married Brazilian socialite Charlene Shorto in 1983. Valentino and Giancarlo later became the godfathers of Charlene and Carlos' sons, Sean and Anthony. Carlos and Charlene worked as PR for the Maison Valentino even after their divorce in 1990, and have kept a close relationship ever since.
As narrated in the book Private by Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino in the early 1980s met his current boyfriend Bruce Hoeksema, who started as a model at Valentino to later become the vice president of the Maison. Giancarlo Giammetti said that he and Valentino together with Carlos, Charlene and Bruce form a real family. Part of this enlarged family called the "tribe" is also composed by Spanish Duchess Nati Abascal, French-Brazilian Princess Georgina Brandolini d'Adda and Valentino PR Daniela Giardina.
Valentino's mother, Teresa, moved from Voghera to Rome to help with the business. Eventually he told both his parents that he was engaged to Italian actress Marilù Tolo, the only woman he had ever truly loved and with whom he had wished to have children.[122]
Valentino owns six pugs which he has kept with him for several years.
Valentino and Giancarlo are the kings of high living. Every other designer looks and says, "How do they live the way they do?" I don't think they made the money that Valentino and Giancarlo did, because Giancarlo knows how to make money. If they did, they didn't spend the money like Valentino. No other designer ever did. When the terrorism first started in Rome – the period when the Red Brigades were kidnapping people – Valentino was riding around in a bulletproof Mercedes. And do you know what color the Mercedes was? Red. My God, I thought, you must want to get blown up.[123]
Valentino adores dogs to the point that he once named a second line of clothing after his late pug Oliver. Today Valentino owns six pugs. When traveling on his 14-seat Challenger jet, Valentino and his entourage go to the airport in three cars: one for the staff and luggage, one for five of the pugs, and one for Giammetti, Valentino, and the pug Maude, who always travels with Valentino.[123]
^Emerson, Gloria (20 January 1969). "The Rome Collections: Valentino Takes a More Romantic Turn". The New York Times: 28. Retrieved 13 July 2023. ...[F]ans include...Mrs. Jacqueline Onassis, who chipped Valentino's name in marble by wearing his pale beige lace dress at her wedding.
^Emerson, Gloria (20 January 1969). "The Rome Collections: Valentino Takes a More Romantic Turn". The New York Times: 28. Retrieved 13 July 2023. If Valentino...doesn't stop putting the initial "V" on his stockings, belts, buttons, pockets and shoes, his collections are going to look like one man's obsession with a Volkswagen.
^Morris, Bernadine (12 March 1970). "They Came, They Saw, They Loved and Bought Valentino's Midi". The New York Times: 66. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[L]ong coats or skirts that open up in front to show shorter ones underneath...let you move a little better.
^Emerson, Gloria (19 January 1970). "The Long and the Short of It are Shown in Valentino's Hems". The New York Times: 32. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Valentino really likes the look of midi skirts slashed open in front to show a much shorter skirt underneath it. The same effect is seen when he does wrap skirts with deep slits at the side.
^Emerson, Gloria (19 January 1970). "The Long and the Short of It are Shown in Valentino's Hems". The New York Times: 32. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The new print designed by Valentino has been christened Provençal foulards by him, Armenian by others, and Slav prints by Nattier, who made the fabrics....There was a gaggle of gypsies on the runway...
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. [H]is favorite color now is apparently bright red...Some of the prettiest dresses are in non‐Valentino stripes of yellow with green, orange with blue or pink with blue.
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[T]he little‐below‐the‐knee length looks best to him, [but] most of his hems are a good deal longer.
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Some of the shorts...go under dresses—and some are accompanied by long coats.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1971). "Valentino Revivifies Fashions of 40's". The New York Times: 45. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The red coat covered navy shorts, the navy coat red ones....Valentino made the idea of shorts‐under‐skirts look new...
^Morris, Bernadine (23 July 1971). "Valentino – Quiet but Beguiling, Tailored but Feminine". New York Times: 38. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[P]ants...far outnumber skirts for both day and evening. They have a really nice cut, smooth over the hips...and then widening from knee to hem....Night clothes are mostly black and mostly pants...
^Morris, Bernadine (23 July 1971). "Valentino – Quiet but Beguiling, Tailored but Feminine". New York Times: 38. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The day things are really where it's at. All tailored, without being mannish. Capes swashbuckling around over battle jackets and pants.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1971). "Valentino Revivifies Fashions of 40's". The New York Times: 45. Retrieved 22 June 2022. He captured almost exactly the spirit of clothes 30 years ago[:]...wide shoulders, toppers[,]...big‐brimmed swagger hats...
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[T]he models...wear...high cork wedgies...with nailheads and...thongs that tie around the ankle and half the leg.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1971). "Valentino Revivifies Fashions of 40's". The New York Times: 45. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The hemlines just about covered the knees, which was true to the period.
^Morris, Bernadine (23 July 1971). "Valentino – Quiet but Beguiling, Tailored but Feminine". New York Times: 38. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The nineteen‐forties are still with us,...but then so are the nineteen‐thirties...and the nineteen-fifties...
^Morris, Bernadine (21 July 1972). "...and in Rome, Valentino Regards Pants as Passé". The New York Times: 20. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Would you believe, not a single pair of pants? Instead, lots of pleated skirts.
^Morris, Bernadine (23 July 1972). "Where Are the Joys of Yesteryear?". The New York Times: 52. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Pants suits are just about everywhere, and there's hardly a daytime dress around, except at Valentino.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1972). "Valentino: Styles That Change the Look of Fashion". The New York Times: 18. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Loose tops with raglan shoulders and armholes as deep as the waistline are the coming thing. Valentino says so....[B]atwing coats...followed batwing coats...There were also batwing jackets.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1972). "Valentino: Styles That Change the Look of Fashion". The New York Times: 18. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Under the jackets were cap‐sleeve pullovers with cable‐knit sweaters...
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[Valentino's] favorite fashions are usually the color of Devonshire cream.
^Morris, Bernadine (17 July 1970). "At Valentino, No Revolution This Year, But Lots of Exotic and Elegant Designs". The New York Times: 41. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[I]deas that work[: t]he one‐color look from head to toe,...in creamy white, pale beige or pearl gray...Sometimes the outfits are in brown or black[,]...rose wine [or]...clear, lacquer red...
^Morris, Bernadine (21 July 1972). "...and in Rome, Valentino Regards Pants as Passé". The New York Times: 20. Retrieved 22 June 2022. There were clothes in strong colors, primarily orange and Persian blue...Some of the evening dresses were in rainbow‐colored stripes and squares that took Valentino even further from the cream and coffee shades for which he has been known.
^Morris, Bernadine (21 July 1973). "Valentino Makes Sure THey'll Return to Rome for Next Year's Show". The New York Times: 19. Retrieved 22 June 2022. His pitch was the nineteen forties[:]...drifting chiffon evening dresses, suits with padded shoulders, small waistlines and flaring skirts and square‐shouldered box coats...
^Finley, Ruth (1 August 1973). "When in Rome, Say 'Valentino'". Fashion International. I (11). New York, NY, USA: FI Publishing Inc.: 4. ...[H]e synthesizes the mid-40's confluence of Adrian-Dior-Balenciaga: padded shoulders, nipped waists above flaring skirts, loose boxy coats. The Chanel-just-below-knee length for day...
^Emerson, Gloria (19 January 1970). "The Long and the Short of It are Shown in Valentino's Hems". The New York Times: 32. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[I]n Valentino's evening clothes...he kept on with...miles of winding ruffles and tiered skirts.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 January 1972). "Valentino: Styles That Change the Look of Fashion". The New York Times: 18. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[M]any of Valentino's styles carry an embroidered V on the pocket, large enough to be seen across a restaurant.
^Morris, Bernadine (5 June 1970). "Valentino for the Masses – Well, Almost". The New York Times: 47. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The zipper pull in front will sport a V. The belt will have a series of V's running all around it. The print on a number of fabrics is based on the letter V, and just in case there is not enough of a good thing, there are handbags and shoes to carry the thought further[,]....a...dress...inscribed with the designer's whole name....There are also turtlenecks with V's all over them.
^Morris, Bernadine (8 December 1970). "It's More Dazzle for the New Valentino". The New York Times: 56. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Valentino hasn't given up his V's—they're woven into his skirts and stockings and they dangle in metal from zippers...
^Morris, Bernadine (17 July 1970). "At Valentino, No Revolution This Year, But Lots of Exotic and Elegant Designs". The New York Times: 41. Retrieved 22 June 2022. The V's that used to gallop over everything have receded. Now the only time they turn up is in the reptile patterns on suede belts, and then they could be taken for part of the design.
^Morris, Bernadine (27 October 1976). "A Rousing Show by Saint Laurent". The New York Times: 65. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[M]odels...were clad entirely in white off‐shoulder blouses, tiered skirts, ruffled petticoats...
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1977". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 359. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Valentino showed...blouson jacket[s]...in sporty checks...and...loden green suede.
^Hyde, Nina S. (20 September 1977). "The King of Chic". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...Valentino...designs...blousons[,]...ponchos and...shawls...
^Morris, Bernadine (11 April 1975). "Valentino Revives Elegance for a Chilly April in Paris". The New York Times: 60. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[T]he collection touches on...layering...His sweaters...appear two at a time and over a blouse...
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1977". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 356. ISBN0-670-80172-0. ...[S]tiff Winterhalter-style evening dresses appeared at Valentino.
^Hyde, Nina S. (20 September 1977). "The King of Chic". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...Valentino...clearly likes the lifestyle of the rich and so designs...for the races...'You know, it was criticized a lot for looking too rich,' admits Valentino.
^Morris, Bernadine (11 April 1978). "Shaking Fashion". The New York Times: 30. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Valentino...revived the early 1930's...His suits had longer jackets and squared shoulders.
^Morris, Bernadine (27 January 1978). "Paris: The Dress Has Its Day". The New York Times: A14. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[T]he straight, skinny look that Valentino calls...his pencil line...
^Morris, Bernadine (16 April 1978). "Message is Clear, But How Will It Be Received". The New York Times: 70. Retrieved 22 June 2022. ...[T]he bra...meant to be seen...has been taken up by...Valentino...The major change in shape in the collections is the shoulder line, now broadened and padded.
^Morris, Bernadine (11 April 1978). "Shaking Fashion". The New York Times: 30. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Valentino...clothes were tarty.
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1979". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 364. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Valentino's brown Gandini wool jacket with a velvet strip that gives the effect of a shadow across the diagonally closed bodice. [The hourglass-shaped jacket looks very stiff, almost geometric, with shoulders padded to a sharp edge.]
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1979". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 369. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Valentino's short-sleeved Jacquard linen dress with side-buttoned bodice. [The short-sleeved, somewhat loose dress has broad, padded shoulders with puffed sleeves to increase width and the side-button closure left unbuttoned on most of the leg. It is cinched in with a very wide belt and topped by a 1950s-style picture hat.]
^Morris, Bernadine (15 January 1979). "On the Beach: Saint Laurent and Valentino". The New York Times: A15. Retrieved 9 July 2023. Valentino...has a good claim to be Italy's leading contender in the world's fashion sweepstakes
^Hyde, Nina (28 March 1985). "YSL, Robust and Refined High Hemlines for His Paris Show". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 March 2022. ...[Dynasty star] Joan Collins sat in the front row of the Valentino show, furiously scribbling notes. No wonder. There were enough skinny, sexy, rich, even tarty clothes on the runway for Collins, her chums on Dynasty and lots of Dynasty aficionados as well.
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1984". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. pp. 390–391. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Soap operas were a new fashion influence. Just as the cinema-goers of the thirties and forties had mimicked the wardrobes of Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford, so Joan Collins/Alexis and Linda Gray/Sue-Ellen became a source of inspiration. The soap stars wore the clothes of Saint Laurent, Ferre, Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein....[T]he viewers' definition of glamour was to be dressed up at all times...
^Hyde, Nina (14 March 1986). "Milan Diary". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Italian clothes sell the best of all designer imports in the States, particularly those from Armani, Valentino, Byblos and Genny.
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1980". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 373. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Valentino's black velvet dress with peplum and black point d'esprit veil. [a very 1940s-looking dress with a large, prominent ruffle extending diagonally across the bodice, one edge extending out from one shoulder to give the fashionable shoulder width of the time]
^Morris, Bernadine (3 August 1982). "For Every Trend in Paris, There's a Countertrend". The New York Times: A16. Retrieved 18 March 2022. Designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Hubert de Givenchy simply picked dramatic traditional shapes, made them in the most opulent fabrics and embellished them with furs, feathers and jewels.
^Morris, Bernadine (4 August 1981). "Couture: Styles of Splendor". The New York Times: C6. Retrieved 1 December 2021. There is no attempt to mimic street fashions, which the couture tried during the miniskirt years. There isn't too much concern with practicality. If the bouffant skirts with their layers of petticoats can't fit into a compact car, it is understood that their wearers travel by limousine. If the jeweled dresses require a lady's maid and a bodyguard, it is assumed that they are available.
^Cunningham, Bill (1 September 1989). "To the Future Through the Past". Details. VIII (3). New York, NY: Details Publishing Corp.: 219. ISSN0740-4921. Both Valentino and de la Renta showed collections in the formal rich society-lady style.
^"The Cerebral Approach". The New York Times: 66. 8 February 1981. Retrieved 4 April 2022. There is the fantasy brigade epitomized by the likes of Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass and Valentino.
^Morris, Bernadine (18 October 1983). "Fashion Establishment Has Its Day in Paris". The New York Times: A28. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino...showed his collection by color groups, starting with brown and beige, which he does so well, and gave navy a big play. His bright shade for day or night was red.
^Morris, Bernadine (27 March 1984). "Chanel, Valentino Enliven Paris". The New York Times: B8. Retrieved 4 April 2022. He started his show with the tailored clothes he has always done so beautifully in beige....He then repeated the theme, with variations, in tones of gray.
^Morris, Bernadine (27 March 1985). "Paris Pick-Me-Up from Valentino". The New York Times: C1. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino...started his show with good red coats and closed it with slinky, seductive red evening dresses and in between offered infinite variations on black and white, brown, gray and the newest color rage, loden green.
^Morris, Bernadine (8 April 1981). "In Paris, Fashion Incursions from Abroad". The New York Times: C18. Retrieved 22 June 2022. When it comes to opulence, Valentino beats the French designers at their own game.
^Morris, Bernadine (26 March 1986). "From Valentino, a Practical Elegance". The New York Times: C10. Retrieved 4 April 2022. 'They're "rich lady" clothes, and they look it,' said Dawn Mello, president of Bergdorf Goodman.
^Morris, Bernadine (25 March 1983). "Ready-to-Wear: Elegance in Paris". The New York Times: B6. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Everything looked rich and luxurious, even his simple sweaters, which had a panel of sequins at the back or a rim of black fur at the cuffs.
^Hyde, Nina (28 March 1984). "Lagerfeld's New Look". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino...teamed one angora sweater with a leather lace skirt. 'Wow, is that skirt going to be expensive . . . even for Texas,' said Bob Sakowitz, head of the Houston-based Sakowitz stores.
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1983". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 387. ISBN0-670-80172-0. Sharp, daytime tailoring...distinguished the collections of Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Valentino and Ungaro. Suits were styled with wide revers and shoulders above tiny, cinched waists.
^McColl, Patricia (17 March 1985). "Fashion Preview: Paris Takes a Wide View". The New York Times Magazine: 69. Retrieved 1 December 2021. ...Valentino...tried to cut down on shoulder padding. Unfortunately, he says, 'Everything looks better with it'.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 March 1983). "Valentino Shines in Paris Amid Strong French Shows". The New York Times: C12. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino produced clothes that expressed infinite luxury yet looked comfortable and relaxed...
^Mulvagh, Jane (1988). "1982". Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion. London, England: Viking, the Penguin Group. p. 379. ISBN0-670-80172-0. The...short and lean...theme...was seen at Saint Laurent, Valentino, Chloé, Mugler and Montana, in deep, poster-paint colors and was worn with high heels, dramatic millinery and loud paste jewellery.
^Hyde, Nina (4 April 1982). "Fashion Notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. ...[A] straight black skirt...that stops above the knee would put you in the camp with Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino...Valentino showed some beauties in reptile.
^Luther, Marylou (24 October 1985). "Fashion". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Narrow linen jackets zip open... to reveal equally narrow sheath dresses....Valentino uses godet back insets to make walking easier in the narrow skirts.
^Morris, Bernadine (22 September 1982). "A Toast to Valentino and to Opulence". The New York Times: C12. Retrieved 22 June 2022. In moderate form for day and voluminous at night, tunics were a signature of the collection.
^Hyde, Nina (7 August 1983). "Fashion Notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. The big news...is the chemise. Yves Saint Laurent did it, so did Hanae Mori, Valentino, Pierre Cardin, Hubert de Givenchy and probably more.
^Hyde, Nina (22 October 1983). "Refining the Look". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Chemises,...plumb line in shape at Valentino...
^Hyde, Nina (23 October 1980). "Familiar Wrinkles". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino shows a lot of jodhpurs cut off at the knee, or toreadors....[I]f the Valentino customers are any example, women will be wearing shorts next summer.
^Morris, Bernadine (30 March 1984). "Paris Shows: Few Peaks and Many Valleys". The New York Times: A20. Retrieved 4 April 2022. The most enthusiasm was shown for Valentino's styles....They said it was the most successful presentation in Paris...His was probably the biggest success of the season.
^Morris, Bernadine (3 April 1984). "The Best of Europe's Fashions". The New York Times: A29. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Karl Lagerfeld...and Yves Saint Laurent are the dominant designers in Paris today. Both were overshadowed by the reception given the Valentino collection...
^Hyde, Nina (21 October 1987). "The Index is Up on Short Hemlines". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino, like Ungaro, is among the best selling of all the designers...
^Morris, Bernadine (30 March 1984). "Paris Shows: Few Peaks and Many Valleys". The New York Times: A20. Retrieved 4 April 2022. The peaks were the shows by Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino...
^Hyde, Nina (4 April 1982). "Fashion Notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. ...floor-length...evening...dresses done better at Valentino and YSL than any place else.
^Morris, Bernadine (28 March 1986). "The Report from Paris: Clear Color, Easy Shapes". The New York Times: A24. Retrieved 4 April 2022. ...the three best collections, those of Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Karl Lagerfeld.
^Hyde, Nina (4 May 1986). "Valentino and the Anatomy of Elegance". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. A year ago [1985] [Valentino] came out with jeans, and now sells 1 million pairs annually.
^Morris, Bernadine (8 April 1981). "In Paris, Fashion Incursions from Abroad". The New York Times: C18. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Valentino...showed dresses that were mini length in front and swept back to form bustle trains.
^Hyde, Nina (21 October 1987). "The Index is Up on Short Hemlines". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Short skirts were a continuing theme of Valentino's masterly presentation...Skirts are mostly very short...
^Hyde, Nina (3 April 1988). "Fashion Notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Strictly short: Christian Lacroix, Geoffrey Beene, Patrick Kelly, Valentino -- 'four fingers above the knee,' he insists.
^Hyde, Nina (31 July 1988). "Fashion Notes". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 April 2022. Valentino showed about a quarter of his collection in longer lengths with pleated yet slim skirts and similarly long coats with short skirts...
^Morris, Bernadine (22 September 1982). "A Toast to Valentino and to Opulence". The New York Times: C12. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Ford is launching its chocolate and gold Valentino Lincoln Continental, one of a series bearing leading designers' signatures...
^Lincoln Division, Ford Motor Company (1 August 1982). "Valentino". 1983 Lincoln – Mark VI – Continental. USA. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 12 June 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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