Collections

Valentino's lines include:

• Haute Couture
• Pret A Porter
• Valentino Uomo (menswear)
• Valentino Romo
• Red Valentino lines
• Valentino also offers accessories, eyewear, perfumes, and watches

Valentino's Prices range from $700-$7000 and up.

Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2008 Collection Paris: Valentino Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2008

Valentino's Last Haute-Couture Show

   

  
  
  
  

   

   

   

   



Awards and Contributions

1967- Valentino receives the Neiman Marcus Award, equivalent to the fashion Oscar, in Dallas Texas.

1984- Valentino celebrates his jubilee and receives a special award from the Italian Ministry of Industry. On that occasion he is officially invited at the Quirinal Palace by the President of the Italian Republic.
  
1986- Valentino is appointed by the President of the Italian Republic the Italian Highest Officials award.

Valentino receives the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award by Anne Hathaway.

1995- The Mayor of Florence awards him the "Premio speciale dell'arte nella moda".

1996- Valentino is awarded the name Cavaliere del Lavoro. The closest English meaning for it is Haute Couture King.

Valentino Garavani receives the Grand Medaille De Vermeil De La Ville De Paris. 

2006- President Chirac awards Valentino of the Legion d'honneur.

Valentino is the most famous couture designer. He creates clothes that are elegant, glamorous, and graceful cut. He was the creator of big bows, embroidered stockings, and the initial V worn as buttons and on the neckline. Valentino is known for his day wear and evening wear, especially the red dress. His designs are made of quality fabrics, and in Italy his name is a household word. Valentino was the last of his kind. He learned his craft from bottom up and shaped the world of Haute Couture with Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent.

Valentino embroidered flower                    Valentino classic bow                 Valentino red evening gown

Timeline of Accomplishments

1960- Valentino showed his first collection at the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy.

1962- His collection(shown in Florence) made his name internationally known.

1965- Valentino has already established himself as the Leader of Italian Fashion.

1969- His official consecration among the world's top fashion designers arrives in this year, with the 

 "White Collection"

        - The “white collection” also marks the introduction of his V logo on buttons, pockets and accessories.
        - Valentino's clothes appear on the covers of both TIME and LIFE magazines and the already prestigious circle of his clients and friends is further extended to some of the most important ladies in the world, such as Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor, Farah Diba, Marella Agnelli, the Begum Aga Khan and so forth. His work has catered to the wealthy and high-brow of Europe and America. 

End of 1960's- Valentino meets Giancarlo Giammetti, who becomes his business partner. Giammetti's entrepreneurial genius will prove fundamental to the world wide expansion and success of House.

A photo of Giancarlo Giammetti at the Toronto International Film Festival,

Valentino: The Last Emperor

1972- Valentino has already launched his women's and men's ready-to-wear collections and has opened his first boutiques in Rome and Milan.

        - He was the first Italian designer who inaugurated a policy of licensing agreements for the production         and commercialization of his lines on international markets. 

        - He is also the first fashion designer in the world to use the cooperation of the most famous photographers for his advertising campaigns. 

1978- Valentino launches his perfume during a gala in Paris.

1980- Valentino establishes operative branches in the USA and in Japan, followed by the opening of a chain of Valentino boutiques in those two countries.

Valentino Boutique: Japan

1984- He is chosen to design the Italian athletes' uniform at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

1985- Valentino conceives and produces the exhibition, "Atelier of Illusion", consisting of the most outstanding costumes used by famous opera singers at the Scala Theater. The exhibition is housed at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan and is inaugurated by the Italian Prime Minister. 

1989- This date is marked by the opening of the "Accademia Valentino", a cultural space located near his couture atelier in Rome, for the presentation of art exhibitions.

"Accademia Valentino"

1991- Valentino celebrates in Rome his thirtieth anniversary in fashion with two spectacular events which represent the official entry of his creations into the Italian artistic patrimony.

1995- Valentino returns to Italy and is celebrated in Florence with a fashion show at the Stazione Leopolda, over thirty years his first show at the Palazzo Pitti.

2004- Launch of V perfume which will be followed by V for men.

V purfume                                                                                      V for Men

2006- Perhaps Valentino’s highest achievement was his 2006 induction into the French Legion d’Honneur.

2007- September 4: Valentino announces his retirement.
        - October 4, Valentino shows his last fashion show.

2008- January 23, Valentino shows his last Haute-Couture show, and retires fully from the world stage.
        - Valentino's movie, Valentino: The Last Emperor is released. 

The Final, a blaze of red- Haute Couture Show

Valentino at the end of his last Haut Couture Show

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Early Years

In 1932, Valentino was born in Voghera, Italy.


While attending high school, Valentino showed an advanced artistic attitude and soon became interested in fashion. 


This fashion icon studied in Milan at the Accademia Dell'Arte and continued his learning
in Paris at Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.


Valentino Spent almost 10 years in Paris working first in the fashion house of Jean Dessès(1950-1955)
then with Guy Laroche.

The Madame Impériale evening gown sketched at Jean Dessès by Valentino Garavani in 1954.

He then returned to Italy in the late fifties and in 1959 he opened a couture house in Rome.

SKETCHES