Few names in the world of fashion evoke such luxury grandeur as Valentino Garavani. The Italian designer – whose recent passing on 19 January, aged 93, marked a pivotal juncture in fashion history – spent over six decades cultivating his empire of fashion, coloured by the distinctive Valentino red. He passed away at his residence in Rome, surrounded by loved ones. Born 11 May 1932, in the Lombardy region of Italy, Valentino developed an interest in fashion at a young age, moving to Paris at 17 to study at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts and at the Chambre Syndiacle de la Couture Parisienne. He soon became an apprentice at Balenciaga, Jean Dessès, and Guy Laroche, and by 1959 set up his own studio in the Via Condotti. Today, we reflect on his life with a list of ten niche facts about him, from his adoration of pugs and Anne Hathaway to the Italian imposter who meanders the streets of Rome imitating Valentino’s aesthetic.
1. Valentino has a passion for pugs, particularly those of names with ‘M’. Names include Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie and Molly. In the 2009 documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor, the designer declared: “I don’t care about the collection, my dogs are more important!”
2. He is no early bird. Mr Valentino stated his preferred time of day as being late evenings, which he spent reading, watching television or making phone calls well past midnight. As such, he likes to sleep late.
3. Valentino is recognised and revered for his distinctive red. Such a passion for red began as a youth, after he attended the opera Carmen in Barcelona.
4. Valentino often expressed a fondness about many of his women clients, yet none so much as Anne Hathaway. Their relationship began back in 2005 on the set of The Devil Wears Prada. He even designed her wedding dress!
5. Of the more bizarre about Valentino is that there is, allegedly, a man who mimics Valentino’s iconic aesthetic, wandering the streets of Rome. This imposter has managed to gatecrash several shows, gain access to the runway and criticise models in front of large audiences.
6. He frequently vocalised his disapproval of 1980s fashion. From shoulder-heavy designs to oversized silhouettes, Valentino felt the trends were poorly proportioned. He stated, ‘I hated those dresses in the 80s, they were out of proportion with shoulders that didn’t belong to the fit, they were all terrible, terrible!’
7. Valentino never hesitated to share his dislike for miniskirts. He publicly rejected the trend in 1970, saying midi was the only real claim to elegance.
8. Valentino has five homes: an apartment in Manhattan; a villa in Rome; a mansion in London; a Louis XIII château near Versailles; and a Chalet Gifferhorn in Switzerland.
9. His accumulation of over 100 antique China collections, many of which he used to set the tables for lavish dinner parties, which he loved to host. Several of his collections were from the 1930s.
10. Valentino believes the standard of his brand has declined since he relinquished creative control. He told Vogue UK, ‘Few people love and make beautiful clothes, clothes that are soft, smooth and elegant.’
Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-black-text-signage-9784200/ by Mathias Reding on Pexels.