Valentino Garavani best known as Valentino, is an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino brand. His main lines include Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma, and R.E.D. Valentino.
The firm was established in 1960 and is headquartered in Milan yet the creative direction is in Rome.
Valentino has famously designed special wedding dresses for Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez, Courtney Cox, Sophie Hunter and Princess Madeleine of Sweden. Most recently Valentino made the wedding dress for Kim Kardashian to Kanye West. Additionally Valentino had the Kardashian wedding at his estate in Italy.
1964, Jacqueline Kennedy admired a suit being worn by a woman at a function and when she had a friend make the inquiry as to who the designer of the garment was, it turned out to be Valentino. A few years later when Valentino was to be in the United States to present a collection at a charity ball at New York, Mrs. Kennedy wanted to attend but could not. Instead Valentino sent a model, sales representative. and a selection of key pieces to Mrs. Kennedy’s apartment in New York which resulted in an order of six haute couture dresses. Turns out they were worn the following year during her mourning following the assassination of President Kennedy. From then on, Jackie and Valentino were dear friends. Valentino of course later designed Jackie’s next wedding dress for her wedding to Onassis.
More recently and most popular are Valentino’s “Rock Star” handbags and shoes. You can see them all over town, on TV, in all the Neiman Marcus boutiques. They are a notch pricey, but not out of the world. A big tote bag can run you $1000 which isn’t bad considering the pedigree of the brand.
If you have an Valentino items whether they are new or vintage, we can assist you in resale.