All About Valentino: Classic Meets Contemporary

All about Valentino: Classic meets contemporary

Spelling elegance since 1960, Valentino is known for putting classic spins to its royally spun modern garments. A regular label marking its attendance at various Festivals and ceremonies, Valentino has been ruling the international luxury landscape, basking in the love it receives from several celebrities, including Anne Hathway Jennifer Lopez, Miranda Kerr and Miley Cyrus among others.

With its chic yet exclusive sling bags, sunglasses, shoes, perfumes, haute couture and prêt-à-porter, the brand has indeed come a long way.

Through the eyes of the House: The Valentino Woman

“I know what women want. They want to be beautiful.” The Valentino Woman was born with this idea of a distinct approach to femininity, as seen by Valentino Garavani. He strung together art and fashion, keeping up with the glamour-laden Italian dolce vita.

After his retirement in 2008, when the creative baton was passed to Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, they coherently represented the aspirations of a new generation. The transition meant a great deal of apprehension, as Valentino’s typical impeccable style had carved its own image in the hearts of many.

In 2013, Maria told The Glass Magazine, “Our vision of fashion is certainly different for generational reasons and also because we are a creative duo, as opposed to Mr Valentino who had total individual control over creative decisions.” She explained how the duo wanted to lend an “open-minded element to the brand”. The idea was to distinctly emphasise their “personal interpretation of the iconic Valentino universe that everyone knows.”

As we know it: An identity that stands out

Immortalising a stark red as his signature favourite, the ‘Rosso Valentino (Valentino Red)’ went on to become a prominent feature of the brand’s legacy. The maestro’s version of red has never fallen out of style, and is a testament to the brand’s glowing heritage.

The brand’s highly popular “V” logo, introduced with the establishment of the brand, remains entrenched as a significant part of its stunning legacy. However, in 2018, Piccioli unveiled a new logo for the fashion giant, an abbreviation of its original name- VLTN.

The label’s key persona elements revolved around sensuality with substance. However, the House now embeds a slightly casual and vibrant approach, as seen in its collection of accessories and apparels. 

Valentino Today

The brand now embraces pop fantasy and lucid designs, as depicted in its latest collection themed on inclusivity.  The Valentino Spring 2020 ‘DayDream’ show held in Beijing earlier this year was all about intertwining Chinese grandeur with the Italian Renaissance, Piccioli had explained. A team bustling with the younger generations has helped him derive a space where experimentation is along the lines of current trends.

Then to now: Tracing the brand’s journey

The fashion luxury giant has evolved significantly since its inception in the early 1960s, while retaining its essence and its signature style. Here’s a brief look at the brand’s key moments:

1960

The Italian haute couture label is woven by Valentino Garavani, a fashion designer at heart and Giancarlo Giammetti, his business partner in Rome. Having developed a passion for catering to finesse, Garavani (known popularly as Valentino) embarks on his journey to deliver clothes that exhibit seamless panache.

1962

 The brand makes a remarkable debut internationally at the Pitti Fashion Fair, Florence. Rupturing through the luxury fashion arena, it makes its arrival quite pronounced among the elite circles.

1968

The Valentino wave sweeps through America, when Jacqueline Kennedy dons a Valentino white dress at her wedding to Aristotle Onassis, a Greek business tycoon.

1970

The maestro launches his collection of midiskirts, manoeuvring the miniskirt dominant environment and changing the fashion game for the decade.

1974

The brand’s new stores open up in Tokyo, Paris, New York, and London, further anchoring its hold in the global luxury fashion realm.

1978

Towards the end of the decade, Valentino also forays into the fragrance world, with the introduction of the Valentino Red perfume.

1982

The year marks a milestone in the history of fashion, with New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art hosting the Fall/Winter Collection by Valentino.

1984

Drawing inspiration from his pug, the magician gives birth to a more contemporary line, Oliver by Valentino. Later on, in ‘Valentino: The Last Emperor’, a documentary from 2008, the king announces his profound love for his pugs: “I don’t care about the collection. My dogs are much more important.”

1990

The Accademia Valentino, a space for exhibiting art, is established near the Valentino atelier in Rome. Backed by Elizabeth Taylor, the designer along with his partner Giammetti launches L.I.F.E., an organisation that supports AIDS patients in the same year.

1998

The company is sold to Holding di Partecipazioni Industriali SpA (HdP), and later to Marzotto Apparel. In 2012, the brand is bought by Qatar’s Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C.

2000

The brand celebrates 40 years of its fashion sojourn.

2007 / 2008

The King of Haute Couture announces his retirement from the brand, and takes a bow as one of the most powerful creative directors in the fashion industry. His last show is held at the Musee Rodin in Paris, attended by the likes of top models like Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova and Claudia Schiffer among others.

2016

Pier Paolo Piccioli, having worked as the Creative Designer for accessories till 2008, is announced as Valentino’s sole Creative Director. The brand hits the 1 billion USD benchmark, after making its space among the younger generations by adapting to contemporary nuances with its distinct heritage designs.

2020

The highly esteemed luxury brand plans to launch the #ValentinoEmpathy Campaign, an advertising project. About 1.08 million USD from the proceeds will be invested in projects for fighting against Covid-19.

The brand’s story is also told through its stark presence on social media platforms, with an impressive documentation of its collections. Its Instagram feed in particular shows an orderly melange of its creations. For a name that has echoed through the fashion world, Valentino is indeed the perfect instance of extra-ordinance redefined.