- (May 1932), commonly referred to as Valentino, is an italian designer founder of the fashion brand “Valentino”.
Valentino
Valentino had a prolific carrier. After being interested in fashion in Italy he moved to Paris to pursue his design studies and looking for work at atteliers such and ended working for Jean Desses. After 5 years in Paris, he moved to Rome where he opened his first fashion house in Via Condotti, with the help and support of his father. It was here where he would become famous for his red dresses. It was in Rome where he met Giancarlo Giammetti, who would soon become his partner to the day of his retirement.
In 1962, Valentino would present his collection in Florence, the fashion capital of the world at the time to a great success. He then started dressing the most prominent ladies in the Haute Society worldwide, such as Jaqueline Kennedy or Elizabeth Taylor.
Through the 1970′s he visited New York very often, and his successful ride collection after collection took him and Giammetti to sell Valentino for some US$300m to a company controlled by the late Gianni Agnelli, the patron of Fiat. In 2002 the company was sold to the Marzotto family for US$210m.
On september 2007 Valentino announced his retirement next year in 2008, in the meantime, a several day celebration was put together in Rome for the 45th anniversary of Valentino.
Valentino: The Last emperor is a documentary that depicts the last days of the glamorous bygone world Valentino used to live in. The result of more than 250 hours and two years of work, the film is a brilliant peeking exercise into the life of one of the 20th Century’s largest fashion and cultural icons.
Buy this film: Valentino: The Last Emperor
