The elegant former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy became enchanted by his designs. Mrs. Kennedy instantly ordered six outfits, and became a devout client and friend. She bought his couture dresses, all in black and white, to wear during her year of mourning after former President John F. Kennedy’s death. Valentino later on would also design the white dress that Jackie wore to her wedding with Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis. After his black and white phase in 1967, Valentino introduced a signature still synonymous with Valentino today when he presented a collection of dresses in the Valentino red. By this time, Valentino had established himself as a top name in haute couture worldwide, and received the Neiman Marcus Prize in Dallas, a fashion award equivalent to that of the Oscar.
By the 1970s, Valentino’s ready-to-wear line was ready for the streets, as was a menswear line, and a line for decorative materials. By the 1980s, Valentino had his own perfumes, accessories, and labels including Miss V, Oliver Homme, and Oliver Femme. While continuing to design and make his grand impact on the lives of many, in 1982, he published his first book, Valentino, edited by Franco Maria Ricci, and launched his Autumn/Winter collection at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
The subsequent years had the Valentino house growing their brand, while Valentino himself kept dressing some of the world’s biggest stars in his styles for some of the biggest moments in their careers. 1991 marked the celebration of his 30th year in the fashion business with an exhibition entitled “Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic,” organized in Valentino’s honor by the Mayor of Rome at the Capitole Museum. In 1998 Valentino and Giammetti decided to sell the company for approximately $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. The Marzotto Group is a world leader in the textile and fashion industry.
For over 160 years the company has represented innovation and excellence with yarns and fabrics unlike any other company in the industry. One of the advantages of writing this story is that I know exactly what it feels to wear a Valentino. The fabric and fit are perfect and of highest standard with beautiful stitching unlike other garments. In their home décor, the Marzotto Group is building bridges between great wool traditions and fine styling, expressing a timeless elegance and sophistication.
Today the Valentino Fashion Group, S.p.A. includes M Missoni, Marlboro Classics, and Hugo Boss. It plays a vital role in creating products in clothing, accessories, and footwear. With offices in over 100 countries and more than 1,400 single-branded boutiques, as well as 284 directly managed boutiques globally, the Valentino Fashion Group has three active business units including the aforementioned brands. The Valentino unit features the Valentino brand, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino. On August 3, 2007, the Wall Street Journal announced that the Valentino Fashion Group S.p.A reported an eighteen percent increase in first-half net profits, illustrating a robust sales growth. In fact, the Valentino Fashion Group is valued at close to $3.5 billion today, a number reflective of the venerable company’s long and illustrious history.
July of this year, Rome saw the spectacular celebration of the house of Valentino honoring 45 years of a remarkable life in fashion. It was a cultural celebration spread over three days, from July 6-8, complete with a couture fashion show, the first shown in Rome in 17 years. The location was fitting and special for the designer. He explains that being honored in Rome was “a privilege that makes me extremely happy, [because it is] the only city where I feel truly at home, where I founded my atelier, and where I continue to work with my closest collaborators. A city where I take pride in feeling I belong and that once again I can show to the world in all of its beauty.”
These events took place at some of the most historical buildings in all of Rome, as the city came together to honor one of its most important and influential residents. He chose to celebrate at the Museo dell’Ara Pacis, the Temple of Venus, the Monumental Complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia, and the Parco dei Daini of Villa Borghese for their artistic and historical values.
The museum was home to “Valentino a Roma: 45 Years of Style,” an exhibition of 300 dresses that superbly showcase the works of the legendary designer throughout the phases of his career. The second floor of the museum brought guests on a chronological showcase of designs, while the first floor brilliantly showcased the works through dresses that world famous women have worn throughout the years to important events.
The Haute Couture fashion show took place at the Monumental Complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia on July 7, 2007. Attended by fashion greats like Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani, Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, and others, Valentino showcased more than 60 gowns. After the show, a gala dinner and ball was held in the Parco dei Daini, where princesses mingled with movie stars, all shrouded in classic Valentino designs.
Also in honor of the iconic couturier, A Great Italian Story was published by Taschen. The oversized book contains a selection of images from Valentino’s archives, accented by beautifully written articles on the designer from various stages of his long career. With an introduction by Suzy Menkes from the International Herald Tribune, and pieces by the likes of Rupert Everett, Anna Wintour, and John Fairchild, the book truly is a collector’s dream.
Seeing as his goal has always been to make women look and feel beautiful, Valentino can rest assured that he has achieved that tenfold throughout the incredible duration of his career. Not that there is any indication he plans on resting at all. After all, there is a line to plan for the upcoming season’s fashion shows, actresses who need gowns for next year’s Cannes, and somewhere, there is a princess dreaming of walking down the aisle in an original Valentino.
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August 24, 2007Estate of the Day: Fort Lauderdale
