Beginnings in Paris and return to Italy (1951–1959) Valentino secured a position with
Jean Dessès for an apprenticeship in
Paris when 19, While an apprentice with Dessès, he assisted Countess
Jacqueline de Ribes by sketching her dress ideas. After five years, Valentino departed following an incident during an extended holiday in
Saint-Tropez. After discussions with his parents,
Founding of Valentino (1960–1961) , Valentino's Roman residence|alt=A four-story yellow apartment block in Rome In 1960, Valentino left Paris and opened a
fashion house in Rome on the fashionable
Via Condotti, supported by his father and a business associate. More than a simple atelier, his father said the premises resembled a
maison de haute couture (); the operation was notably grand, with models flown in from Paris for his debut show. On 31 July 1960, Valentino met
Giancarlo Giammetti at the Café de Paris on the
Via Veneto in Rome. Giammetti, one of three children, was in his second year of
architecture school and living with his parents in the
haut bourgeois Parioli district. In 1961,
Elizabeth Taylor, who was in Rome for the filming of
Cleopatra, chose Valentino's white
haute couture column for the premiere of
Spartacus. Valentino later designed the white
gown worn by Kennedy at her wedding to Greek business magnate
Aristotle Onassis. In 1966, he moved his shows from Florence to Rome, where the following year he produced an all-white collection that became famous for the "V" logo he designed.
Switch to retro styles and international fame (1970–1979) at The Proust Ball at
Château de Ferrières in 1971|alt=A white dress with clear sleeves and dotted adornments 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
midi-skirts worn over
miniskirts; fitted, knee-high boots; trousers; and foreign looks. also continuing to show trousers like
culottes and
knickers with the gently flared standard trouser of the time. He was noted for his tailored clothes. including being one of the only designers to present
day dresses in a period dominated by
separates. He endorsed the favored full sleeves and layering that were seen on many runways and continued to move away from his trademark monotone or bicolor palette—often cream or red. continuing with bright prints, including a
Bakst influence. off-the-shoulder
flounces,
petticoats,
blousons,
shawls,
ponchos,—but he deemphasized the look's characteristic boots and was sometimes criticized for including styles that were too heavily constructed and stiff in this period of minimal construction and flowing shapes, as well as for emphasizing conspicuous-consumption wealth projection during the more egalitarian atmosphere of the time. Along with many other designers, he continued to show this style the following year in stiffly structured, broad-shouldered jackets and dresses presented with retro accessories such as hats, gloves, and cinch belts. This padded-shoulder, high-glamour style would continue to dominate fashion into the 1980s and bring Valentino unprecedented fame. Throughout the 1970s, Valentino spent considerable time in
New York City, where his presence was embraced by society personalities such as
Vogues editor-in-chief
Diana Vreeland and the art icon
Andy Warhol.
Cultural prominence and acclaim (1980–1989) Valentino is one of the favorite designers of actress
Joan Collins, famous as one of the stars of the popular U.S. television show
Dynasty (1981–1989), bringing the designer additional visibility and name recognition among the public. The era's conspicuous consumption, 1940s and 1950s–inspired
ballgowns,
cocktail dresses, and broad-shouldered, sharply tailored suits were taken up with aplomb by Valentino, whose style at the time was similar to that of
Givenchy and
Oscar de la Renta. and Anna Bonomi Bolchini A few themes remained constant throughout his eighties collections: his familiar color groupings; his penchant for blatant displays of luxury, wealth, and opulence; broad
shoulder padding; and a more comfortable cut than he was showing at the start of the big-shoulder era at the end of the 1970s. He continued to show his ready-to-wear collections in Paris and his couture collections in Rome. From 1983 to 1985, Valentino contributed a Valentino Edition to the
Continental line of U.S. carmaker
Lincoln. The uniforms worn by
Italian athletes at the
1984 Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles, were designed by Valentino. In 1986,
Vogue reported that Valentino was the largest Italian fashion exporter, with international sales of US$385 million. but also presented longer, looser looks, and a variety of pant shapes. During the mid-1980s, the fashion press and buyers often rated him higher than other Paris designers, ranking him with Saint Laurent and
Karl Lagerfeld. He felt confident enough with this elevated stature that, in 1985, he added his moniker to a line of designer jeans.
Accademia Valentino (1990–1997) 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
HIV/AIDS–related patients, which benefitted from the activities of the Accademia Valentino. Throughout the 1990s, his work was seen as the antithesis of the dominant
grunge trend, while becoming a staple of the rising
celebrity culture. In 2002, Valentino S.p.A.—with revenues of more than $180 million—was sold by HdP to Milan-based textiles giant
Marzotto Group for $210 million, including lucrative deals for Valentino and Giammetti. The brand was owned by
private equity group
Permira from 2007 onwards, which had acquired the brand from the Marzotto Group for $3.5 billion. It was later sold to the
Qatari royal family for million through an
investment vehicle called
Mayhoola for Investments. On 4 September 2007, Valentino announced that he would retire fully in January 2008 from the world stage after his final
haute couture show in Paris. In October, he delivered his last women's ready-to-wear show in Paris, where he received a
standing ovation. His last
haute couture show was presented in Paris at the
Musée Rodin on 23 January 2008. The show was somewhat marred by his criticism of fellow Italian design duo
Dolce & Gabbana and the death of Australian actor
Heath Ledger, although he received a five-minute standing ovation from an 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. In September 2007, Valentino decided to depart his role as creative director.
Maria Grazia Chiuri and
Pierpaolo Piccioli were at that point first nominated as creative directors of all accessories lines. before Valentino returned to fulfill his roles in 2009 after the sacking of
Alessandra Facchinetti in a public feud with Valentino and Giammetti. In July 2016, Piccioli assumed the role as Chiuri departed. In March 2024, it was announced that
Alessandro Michele would take over as creative director following his departure from
Gucci. == In popular culture ==