Valentino Garavani Height, Age, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Valentino Garavani

• Valentino Garavani grew up in Voghera, Italy.

• His mother chose the name “Valentino” in admiration of Rudolph Valentino, the famous 1920s film star and matinée idol.

• Valentino’s interest in fashion began very early, during his primary school years in Voghera.

• He learned the basics of fashion by training with his aunt Rosa and working with local designer Ernestina Salvadeo, who was the aunt of artist Aldo Giorgini.

• Valentino went to Paris at 18 to pursue formal fashion studies, encouraged by his parents.

• In Paris, he trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and later attended the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture to develop his skills.

• At the age of 19, Valentino secured an apprenticeship in Paris with designer Jean Dessès.

• Although he admired Jacques Fath the most and also wanted to work with Balenciaga, Jean Dessès became his first step into haute couture.

• During his time at Dessès’ atelier, Valentino assisted Countess Jacqueline de Ribes by translating her dress concepts into sketches.

• After five years with Jean Dessès, Valentino left the fashion house after an uncomfortable incident during a long stay in Saint-Tropez.

• Valentino, with support from his close friend Guy Laroche, later worked at Laroche’s small fashion house for two years.
  

  Guy Laroche

• Valentino later discussed his future with his parents and decided to leave Paris and return to Italy.

• In 1959, he settled in Rome, where he first trained under Emilio Schuberth. He then worked as a collaborator at Vincenzo Ferdinandi’s atelier, gaining further experience in Italian couture.

• Later that same year, Valentino decided to open his own fashion house, marking the start of his independent fashion career.

• Valentino later opened his atelier on the prestigious Via Condotti with financial support from his father and a business partner. The space functioned as a full-scale haute couture house rather than a small workshop.
  

  Valentino Garavani at his atelier on Via Condotti in Rome

• For his first show, Valentino brought models from Paris and gained fame for his bold red dresses, a signature colour later known as “Valentino red.”
  

  Valentino Garavani with models wearing ‘Valentino Red’

• On 31 July 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti at the Café de Paris on Via Veneto in Rome. Giammetti was then a second-year architecture student living with his parents in the upscale Parioli district.
  

  Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti in the 1960s

• Valentino and Giancarlo began their friendship when Giancarlo gave him a ride home in his Fiat, and they coincidentally met again ten days later in Capri while both were on vacation.

• Soon after, Giammetti decided to leave his architecture studies and joined Valentino as both his business partner and life partner.

• When Giammetti joined, Valentino’s business was already struggling. Within a year, his high spending led his father’s partner to pull out, nearly causing the fashion house to go bankrupt.

• Valentino made his international debut in 1962 in Florence, which was Italy’s main fashion centre at the time.
  

  A moment from Valentino Garavani’s international debut fashion show at the Pitti Palace, Florence, 1962

• In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady of the United States, saw a black organza outfit on Gloria Schiff, the twin sister of a Rome-based American Vogue editor and a friend of Valentino.

• Jacqueline Kennedy was so impressed by the outfit that she asked Schiff for the designer’s name and learned it was Valentino.

• In September 1964, Valentino travelled to the United States to present his collection at a charity ball at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Although Kennedy wanted to see the collection, she was unable to attend the event.

• Valentino later sent a model, a sales representative, and key pieces from his collection to Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fifth Avenue apartment, where she ordered six black-and-white haute couture dresses.

• Jacqueline Kennedy wore those Valentino designs during her year of mourning for President Kennedy. She later became a loyal client and close friend of Valentino.
  

  Valentino Garavani and Jacqueline Kennedy

• Later, Valentino designed the white wedding gown Jacqueline Kennedy wore when she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
  

  20 October 1968: Jacqueline Kennedy wearing Valentino at her wedding to Aristotle Onassis

• In 1966, Valentino shifted his fashion shows from Florence to Rome.

• The next year, Valentino presented an all-white collection that introduced his iconic “V” logo and became widely recognised.
  

  Models wearing Valentino Garavani’s all-white pieces

• During the 1970s, Valentino’s women’s couture and ready-to-wear collections closely followed the popular fashion trends of the time.

• Early in the decade, he highlighted layered styles, including midi-skirts over miniskirts, knee-high boots, trousers, and designs inspired by international fashion.

• In 1971, he paired brightly coloured midi and knee-length skirts with hot pants, while also showing culottes, knickers, and gently flared trousers, maintaining his reputation for tailored clothing.

• His designs were worn by celebrities, including actress Audrey Hepburn, who wore a Valentino dress at The Proust Bal at Château de Ferrières in 1971.
  

  Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton at the 1971 Proust Ball at Château de Ferrières, wearing a black taffeta gown designed by Valentino Garavani

• In 1972, Valentino started out with trousers, but later showcased mostly skirts and day dresses. He also used full sleeves, layering, and brighter colours like cream and red instead of his usual monotone or bicolour palette.

• In 1972, Valentino’s romantic relationship with Giammetti came to an end, but their personal bond and professional alliance continued unchanged.

• In 1973, Valentino met 19-year-old Carlos Souza at the Hippopotamus Club in Rio de Janeiro, and the two were in a relationship until Souza married Brazilian socialite Charlene Shorto in 1983.

• After Souza’s marriage, Valentino and Giammetti became godfathers to Carlos and Charlene’s sons.

• Even after Carlos and Charlene divorced in 1990, both continued working in public relations for Maison Valentino and stayed closely connected to Valentino and Giammetti.

• From 1973 to the mid-1970s, Valentino mixed 1940s-inspired square-shouldered and knee-length styles with peasant-inspired silhouettes, using bright prints, ruffles, and layering.

• By the late 1970s, he created broad-shouldered, high-glamour 1940s–50s-inspired looks with narrow skirts and elegant accessories, keeping his signature style despite some criticism.

• During the 1970s, Valentino was well-known in New York City. He earned support from prominent figures like Vogue editor Diana Vreeland and artist Andy Warhol.

• Valentino launched a line of designer jeans under the name ‘Valentino Viva Denim’ in 1979.
  

  15 May 1979: Valentino Garavani introduced his new line of designer denim, Valentino Viva, in New York

• During the 1980s, Valentino became a favourite designer of actress Joan Collins. Her frequent appearances in his designs greatly increased his public visibility and international recognition.

• In the 1980s, Valentino designed glamorous ballgowns, cocktail dresses, and sharp suits inspired by 1940s and 1950s fashion. His style was often compared to that of Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.

• From 1983 to 1985, Valentino collaborated with American car manufacturer Lincoln by designing a special Valentino Edition for its Continental line.

• In 1984, he designed the official uniforms worn by Italian athletes at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

• By the mid-1980s, fashion critics and buyers often ranked Valentino among the top Paris designers, alongside Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld.

• In 1987 and 1988, Valentino joined the broader fashion industry trend by focusing almost entirely on mini-length skirts for two seasons.

• In 1990, Valentino opened the Accademia Valentino in Rome, near his atelier, designed by architect Tommaso Ziffer. It was created as a space for art exhibitions and cultural events.

• In 1998, Valentino Garavani and his longtime partner Giancarlo Giammetti sold the Valentino fashion house to the Italian conglomerate HdP for around 300 million US dollars; the group was partly controlled by Gianni Agnelli.

• In 2002, HdP sold Valentino S.p.A. to the Marzotto Group for 210 million dollars. The company was earning over 180 million dollars at the time, and the deal benefited both Valentino and Giammetti.

• From June 2005 to July 2007, filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer filmed about 250 hours of Valentino’s life, including events marking his 45-year career.

• The footage was featured in the documentary ‘Valentino: The Last Emperor,’ which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2008.
  

  A poster of the documentary ‘Valentino: The Last Emperor’ (2008)

• In 2006, Valentino made a brief on-screen appearance as himself in the popular fashion film ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’
  

  Valentino Garavani in a still from the film ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006)

• From 2007, the Valentino brand came under the ownership of the private equity firm Permira, which acquired it from the Marzotto Group for $3.5 billion.

• The brand was later sold to Qatari aristocrats for 700 million euros through an investment company called Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C.

• On 4 September 2007, Valentino announced that he would step away from fashion completely after his final haute couture show, scheduled for January 2008 in Paris.

• In September 2007, Valentino also chose to step down from his role as creative director of the brand.

• In October 2007, he presented his last women’s ready-to-wear collection in Paris, where he was honoured with a standing ovation.

• Valentino’s final haute couture show took place on 23 January 2008 at the Musée Rodin in Paris.
  

  A picture from Valentino Garavani’s 2008 Haute Couture show

• Although the event was overshadowed by his public criticism of Dolce & Gabbana and the sudden death of actor Heath Ledger, these moments did not diminish the impact of the show.

• The audience responded with a five-minute standing ovation, attended by hundreds of prominent figures from across the entertainment and fashion industries.

• After the dismissal of Alessandra Facchinetti over a public dispute with Valentino and Giammetti, Chiuri and Piccioli officially took over as creative directors in 2009.

• In July 2016, Pierpaolo Piccioli became the sole creative director after Chiuri left the brand.

• In March 2024, it was announced that Alessandro Michele would take over as creative director, following his departure from Gucci.

• Valentino was an avid animal lover and had six pugs as pets.
  

  Valentino Garavani with his pugs

• Valentino’s love for dogs became a defining personal trait. He even named a second clothing line after his late pug, Oliver.

• When he travelled on his 14-seat Challenger jet, Valentino arranged three separate cars: one for staff and luggage, one for his pugs, and one for himself and Giancarlo Giammetti. His pug Maude always travelled with him.