Valentino
If you go to enough swanky fashion parties, after a while, they all blend into one. Handsome waiters, glamorous cocktails, shoes that look fabulous but kill your feet, and conversation that revolves around the only question that really matters:
“Where did you get that dress?” If you’re lucky, you might see a teenage model getting tipsy, and if the gods are really smiling on you, you might meet a celebrity in the queue for the loo. (If this happens, the correct fashion etiquette is to look unimpressed but check for signs of plastic surgery.)
It’s easy to become jaded in this ritzy world, but every now and again, a party comes along that really blows your cashmere socks off. Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani – better known simply as Valentino – threw just such a bash in July. It was held in Rome over three days, and I’m still getting over it.
Italy’s king of glamour, also known as the man with the tan, had plenty to celebrate. He has notched up 45 years as a couturier and, although it wasn’t official at the time, he is about to retire. He was also showing what would turn out to be his penultimate couture collection before bowing out as head of his house next January.
As if that were not enough, a retrospective of his designs opened at the Ara Pacis museum in Rome, and the anniversary was marked by a perfume launch.
The latest addition to Valentino’s fragrance portfolio is Rock ’n Rose Couture. Building on the youthful appeal of the original Rock ’n Rose, the new scent comes in a lace-clad bottle, a nod to the designer’s fashion creations. As the name suggests, it is a rose floral, but not the one-dimensional, pretty kind; instead, it has plenty of edge, provided by the heady, bergamot base note.
The fragrance is strong and lingering, and you can imagine it appealing to young beauties such as Lizzie Jagger, Sienna Miller or Charlotte Casiraghi, all of whom attended what was the high point of the celebrations, a gala ball in the garden of the Villa Borghese, followed by a dinner for 1,000 guests.
What a bash it was. The guests were ushered past the Caravaggios in the gallery and out into the garden, where a spectacular pavilion had been erected. Claudia Schiffer chatted with Liz Hurley and Anne Hathaway, while Sarah Jessica Parker swapped fashion notes with Sienna Miller. The royal princesses, Marie-Chantal of Greece and Caroline of Monaco, mixed with the fashion royals Donatella Versace and Tom Ford.
The screen icon Gina Lollobrigida was decked out in the most glorious emeralds, and Joan Collins wore a favourite plunging red Valentino dress. There was so much couture in such a small area, you had to be careful not to tread on anyone’s train.
The best bit came after the dinner and speeches. Annie Lennox finished a brief set and the DJs kicked in with It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls. Guess who was first on the dancefloor? Collins, of course. The diva showed everyone how to dance in a couture dress: she can really throw some shapes. The party went on until 6am. As for Joan – I think she’s still dancing.
VALENTINO, date of creation: 1959
1959
Having completed his fashion studies and an apprenticeship with Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, Valentino starts up his first studio in Rome
1960
Begins his collaboration with Giancarlo Giammetti, who manages the commercial development of the House of Valentino
1962
His first collection at the international fashion Gotha in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, is a triumphant success
1965
Valentino is recognized as the top name in Italian Haute Couture
1967
He is awarded the Neiman Marcus Prize in Dallas (the equivalent of an Oscar in the world of Fashion)
1968
Valentino's reputation is secured with the enormous success of his "Collezione Bianca", the first clothes and accessories to have the magic "V" label
Designs the wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for her marriage to Aristote Onassis
1969
Begins his Boutique line of clothes and opens the first Valentino shop in Milan
1970
Launch of his first Ready-to-Wear collections
Opening of Valentino boutiques in Rome and New York
1971
Opening of the first menswear shop in Via Condotti
1975
First fashion show of his Ready-to-Wear collection in Paris
1976
Opens a boutique in Tokyo
1978
Launch of the Valentino perfume at a gala evening in Paris, at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées
1982
Publication of the book "Valentino", edited by Franco Maria Ricci
20 September, Valentino presents his Autumn/Winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York
1984
Valentino celebrates his twenty-fifth year in the business and receives an official award from the Minister for Industry
1985
He is awarded the Grand'Ufficiale dell'Ordine al Merito by the President of Italy
1986
Receives the highest decoration possible in Italy, the Cavaliere di Gran Croce, from the President
1989
First show of the Haute Couture collection in Paris
1990
In February, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti found L.I.F.E (initials in Italian for "Fighting, Informing, Building, Teaching"), an association working for the fight against Aids
The Accademia Valentino is officially opened to the public with an exhibition of painters of the Roman School
Exhibition of "The Art of Cartier" at the Accademia Valentino
Publication of the book "Valentino: Trent'Anni de Magia", by Leonardo
1991
To celebrate his thirtieth year in the fashion business, an exhibition entitled "Valentino: Thirsty Years of Magic" is organized in Valentino's honour by the Mayor of Rome at the Capitole Museum, while the Accademia Valentino presents a retrospective of his designs
Creation of the perfume Vendetta for men and women
1992
Exhibition at the Accademia Valentino entitled: "La seduzione da Boucher a Warhol"
The "Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic"' exhibition is invited to go to New York to coincide with the fifth centenary celebrations of the discovery of America.
Valentino is invited by the Chinese government to stage a show in Beijing
1994
In January, Valentino presents his first ever costume designs at the Eisenhower Theatre in the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Center, Washington, for an opera entitled "The Dream of Valentino", based on the life of the movie star Rudolf Valentino
1995
Valentino's return to Italy is celebrated on 14 January in Florence with a fashion show at the Stazione Leopolda, over thirty years his first show at the Palazzo Pitti. The Mayor of Florence awards him the "Premio speciale dell'arte nella moda"
1996
Valentino is named Cavaliere del Lavoro
1998
The House of Valentino is bought by H.d.P group (Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali), present on the Stock market.
Their goal is to create the first italian luxury group
“Where did you get that dress?” If you’re lucky, you might see a teenage model getting tipsy, and if the gods are really smiling on you, you might meet a celebrity in the queue for the loo. (If this happens, the correct fashion etiquette is to look unimpressed but check for signs of plastic surgery.)
It’s easy to become jaded in this ritzy world, but every now and again, a party comes along that really blows your cashmere socks off. Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani – better known simply as Valentino – threw just such a bash in July. It was held in Rome over three days, and I’m still getting over it.
Italy’s king of glamour, also known as the man with the tan, had plenty to celebrate. He has notched up 45 years as a couturier and, although it wasn’t official at the time, he is about to retire. He was also showing what would turn out to be his penultimate couture collection before bowing out as head of his house next January.
As if that were not enough, a retrospective of his designs opened at the Ara Pacis museum in Rome, and the anniversary was marked by a perfume launch.
The latest addition to Valentino’s fragrance portfolio is Rock ’n Rose Couture. Building on the youthful appeal of the original Rock ’n Rose, the new scent comes in a lace-clad bottle, a nod to the designer’s fashion creations. As the name suggests, it is a rose floral, but not the one-dimensional, pretty kind; instead, it has plenty of edge, provided by the heady, bergamot base note.
The fragrance is strong and lingering, and you can imagine it appealing to young beauties such as Lizzie Jagger, Sienna Miller or Charlotte Casiraghi, all of whom attended what was the high point of the celebrations, a gala ball in the garden of the Villa Borghese, followed by a dinner for 1,000 guests.
What a bash it was. The guests were ushered past the Caravaggios in the gallery and out into the garden, where a spectacular pavilion had been erected. Claudia Schiffer chatted with Liz Hurley and Anne Hathaway, while Sarah Jessica Parker swapped fashion notes with Sienna Miller. The royal princesses, Marie-Chantal of Greece and Caroline of Monaco, mixed with the fashion royals Donatella Versace and Tom Ford.
The screen icon Gina Lollobrigida was decked out in the most glorious emeralds, and Joan Collins wore a favourite plunging red Valentino dress. There was so much couture in such a small area, you had to be careful not to tread on anyone’s train.
The best bit came after the dinner and speeches. Annie Lennox finished a brief set and the DJs kicked in with It’s Raining Men by the Weather Girls. Guess who was first on the dancefloor? Collins, of course. The diva showed everyone how to dance in a couture dress: she can really throw some shapes. The party went on until 6am. As for Joan – I think she’s still dancing.
VALENTINO, date of creation: 1959
1959
Having completed his fashion studies and an apprenticeship with Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, Valentino starts up his first studio in Rome
1960
Begins his collaboration with Giancarlo Giammetti, who manages the commercial development of the House of Valentino
1962
His first collection at the international fashion Gotha in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, is a triumphant success
1965
Valentino is recognized as the top name in Italian Haute Couture
1967
He is awarded the Neiman Marcus Prize in Dallas (the equivalent of an Oscar in the world of Fashion)
1968
Valentino's reputation is secured with the enormous success of his "Collezione Bianca", the first clothes and accessories to have the magic "V" label
Designs the wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Kennedy for her marriage to Aristote Onassis
1969
Begins his Boutique line of clothes and opens the first Valentino shop in Milan
1970
Launch of his first Ready-to-Wear collections
Opening of Valentino boutiques in Rome and New York
1971
Opening of the first menswear shop in Via Condotti
1975
First fashion show of his Ready-to-Wear collection in Paris
1976
Opens a boutique in Tokyo
1978
Launch of the Valentino perfume at a gala evening in Paris, at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées
1982
Publication of the book "Valentino", edited by Franco Maria Ricci
20 September, Valentino presents his Autumn/Winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York
1984
Valentino celebrates his twenty-fifth year in the business and receives an official award from the Minister for Industry
1985
He is awarded the Grand'Ufficiale dell'Ordine al Merito by the President of Italy
1986
Receives the highest decoration possible in Italy, the Cavaliere di Gran Croce, from the President
1989
First show of the Haute Couture collection in Paris
1990
In February, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti found L.I.F.E (initials in Italian for "Fighting, Informing, Building, Teaching"), an association working for the fight against Aids
The Accademia Valentino is officially opened to the public with an exhibition of painters of the Roman School
Exhibition of "The Art of Cartier" at the Accademia Valentino
Publication of the book "Valentino: Trent'Anni de Magia", by Leonardo
1991
To celebrate his thirtieth year in the fashion business, an exhibition entitled "Valentino: Thirsty Years of Magic" is organized in Valentino's honour by the Mayor of Rome at the Capitole Museum, while the Accademia Valentino presents a retrospective of his designs
Creation of the perfume Vendetta for men and women
1992
Exhibition at the Accademia Valentino entitled: "La seduzione da Boucher a Warhol"
The "Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic"' exhibition is invited to go to New York to coincide with the fifth centenary celebrations of the discovery of America.
Valentino is invited by the Chinese government to stage a show in Beijing
1994
In January, Valentino presents his first ever costume designs at the Eisenhower Theatre in the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Center, Washington, for an opera entitled "The Dream of Valentino", based on the life of the movie star Rudolf Valentino
1995
Valentino's return to Italy is celebrated on 14 January in Florence with a fashion show at the Stazione Leopolda, over thirty years his first show at the Palazzo Pitti. The Mayor of Florence awards him the "Premio speciale dell'arte nella moda"
1996
Valentino is named Cavaliere del Lavoro
1998
The House of Valentino is bought by H.d.P group (Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali), present on the Stock market.
Their goal is to create the first italian luxury group
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