Valentino Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera,
Italy. He enjoyed sewing and fashion from a young age and by age 16 he wanted
to just sketch dresses and become a fashion designer. He studied at the
Academia Dell’Arte in Milan and at 17 he went to Chambre Syndicale de Haute
Couture. When he was 19, he worked as a sketcher for five years with the
couture house of Jean Desses. He eventually returned to Italy to open his own
fashion house in Rome.
He was given the last slot at the last possible hour at the
shows at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence but luckily, the Americans stayed behind
and noticed his designs. One of the American wife of an Italian aristocrat,
Consuelo Crespi, was a fan of his design and from her, his dress for her sister
attracted attention from Jackie Kennedy. Valentino’s career came into the
spotlight when she wore his dress for her wedding with Aristotle Onassis.
He met Giancarlo Giammetti on one fated summer day in 1960
and began a successful partnership. They marked a rise of Italian fashion that
would challenge the couturiers of Paris. Giammetti would deal with the business
part of the fashion so Valentino could conventrate on designing.
Valentino’s successful career spans over four decades before
he officially retired after his last haute couture show on January 23,2008. His
line extends from haute couture to ready-to-wear, accessories, and perfumes and
is currently under the creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo
Piccioli.
Works
Cited
Cartner-Morley,
Jess. "Goodbye Valentino: Fashion's Last Emperor Bows out." ProQuest
Central. ProQuest, 24 Jan. 2008. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
Donn,
Allegra. "Valentino's Day: [Final Edition]." ProQuest Central.
ProQuest, 4 Mar. 2006. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.
Gall,
Nancy. "Valentino Sketched Way to a $300 Million Empire: [SA2
Edition]." 20th Century Drama. ProQuest, 5 Mar. 1988. Web. 11
Mar. 2013.
Stotler,
Nina. "Valentino." BlogStylesight. Stylesight Inc, 5 Mar.
2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2013.
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