World of Fashion
After a Half-Century Career in Fashion, The “Emperor” Has Passed.
The famed Italian couturier Valentino Garavani died on January 17 at age 93 at his home in Rome.
After a half-century career in fashion, “emperor” became something of a moniker for Valentino. The American director Matt Tyrnauer, in his 2008 documentary “Valentino: The Last Emperor”, which shone a light on his design process and lifestyle, explained at the time that “he lives as lavishly as his clients and set a standard for the industry.
He shuts out all that is not beautiful”. As well as a 152-foot superyacht and a private jet (once reportedly used to fly mozzarella to one of his parties), Valentino owned a portfolio of properties in London, New York, Rome, Tuscany, Gstaad, and France.
Valentino's career began after he met his life and business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, and launched a line of silk blouses. He developed a loyal following, including celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
His designs have long been favored by many Palm Beach, Florida, residents, where a Valentino boutique has been a fixture on Worth Avenue for years. The boutique that bears his name continues as a staple in Palm Beach.
Valentino Garavani was born in 1932 in Voghera, near Milan. At the age of 17, he moved to Paris to study at the esteemed École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.
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This boutique that bears his name continues as a staple on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida.
After apprenticing at many top-end ateliers, Valentino returned to Italy, where he met architecture student Giancarlo Giammetti, who would become his business and life partner. Together, they launched a business designing and selling shirts.
The designer sold his company in 2008, after a career spanning seven decades.
The designer sold his company in 2008, after a career spanning seven decades.