Valentino Garavani, the last emperor of fashion, celebrates his ninety years. Defining him as a designer is an understatement, the couturier is one of a kind, an out of the ordinary personality who, for over half a century, has dictated the canons of elegance with his creations. True icon of fashion style, star among the stars, her brand identifies with the famous 'red valentino', a bright and refined color at the same time, very special for the shades of carmine and purple. During his long and bright career, Valentino has dressed divas and first ladies, also becoming their friend and confidant. From Marella Agnelli to Sophia Loren; from Farah Diba to Liz Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Aretha Franklin, Brooke Shields, are just some of the personalities who have chosen Valentino's garments.
Valentino
Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, aka Valentino, was born in Voghera in the province of Pavia, on 11 May 1932. In the XNUMXs he created the luxury brand of the same name in Rome, based first in via Condotti and then in famous atelier in Piazza Mignanelli. A place that soon became a point of reference for the stars of the international jet set; currently the atelier is directed by Pier Paolo Piccioli. From a very young age he was attracted to the world of fashion and after attending a fashion design school in Milan, he studied stylism at the École de La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris. He thus becomes a collaborator of Jean Dessès; later he enters Guy Laroche's atelier.
At the end of the 1957s he was in Rome, a pupil of Emilio Schuberth. In 1959 he founded the Valentino maison; together with one of his partners in 11 he opened a boutique at number XNUMX in via Condotti, in Rome. There Eternal City has always been the place of Valentino's 'heart', despite having chosen Paris to show with prêt à porter since 1975 and with haute couture since 1988. Rome remains a fixed point, with respect to the changes in ownership of the brand, sold in 1998 to the German manufacturer Hdp, taken over in 2002 by the Marzotto Group. Then he moved on to the Permira fund and finally in 2007, to the wife ofEmir of Qatar, the mighty Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, second of the three wives of Hamad bin Khalifa.
Farewell to fashion
In 2007, her farewell to fashion in Rome lasted three days, with a thousand and one nights party. The most glamorous event ever held in the world of fashion style. For the occasion, princes and princesses, Hollywood divas and heads of state are invited, who attend a retrospective of archival dresses at theAra Pacis. And to an all pink high fashion show overall Holy Spirit in Sasia. And, again, at a gala between the columns of the Temple of Venus, never granted before, with the Colosseum in the background and the Oscar winner Dante Ferretti to take care of the scenography. To complete the party a gala with dance and concert live by Annie Lennox in a Chinese pagoda. At the Lennox concert at the Parco dei Daini, in the heart of Villa Borghese, over a thousand guests dance until dawn.
Valentino is surrounded by characters such as Caroline of Monaco, Mick Jagger and other celebrities. A mega event for which the llast fashion emperor. Today, to celebrate his 90th birthday, the great Valentino is really spoiled for choice; he certainly does not lack exclusive locations. Starting from the villa on the street Appia Antica, or the Wideville Castle, in Davron Crespières near Paris: a sixteenth-century residence with an adjoining park of over 120 hectares. But you can also celebrate at the nineteenth-century palace of Holland Park in London, in whose hall there are five paintings by Pablo Picasso that are part of his private collection. Or, for his ninety springs he might think about jumping in New York, at the Park Avenue penthouse or, last but not least, enjoy the beauty of the mountain at Chalet Gifferhorn, his winter home in Gstaad in Switzerland.
Happy birthday to Valentino!
(Photo of Valentino Garavani Couture Facebook page)
👏