Valentino

History

Early history

Valentino was founded in 1960 when Garavani opened a fashion house on Via Condotti in Rome, Italy with the backing of his father and his father’s associate Giancarlo Giammetti.

Rise to popularity

Valentino’s international debut took place in 1962 in Florence, the Italian fashion capital of the time. Valentino has also specially designed wedding dresses for Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez, Courteney Cox, Sophie Hunter and Princess Madeleine of Sweden.

From HDP group to Marzotto group

In 1998, Garavani and Giammetti sold the company for approximately $300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate controlled, in part, by the late Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat. In 2002, Valentino S.p.A., with revenues of more than $180 million, was sold by HdP to Marzotto Apparel, a Milan-based textile giant, for $210 million. It was rumored that HDP was displeased with Garavani’s and Giammetti’s personal expenses, a claim at which Giammetti has bristled.

Purchase by Qatar

In 2012, Qatar acquired Valentino for 700 million euros through an investment vehicle called Mayhoola for Investments S.P.C.

Materials

In 2020, the fashion house announced that it would no longer use alpaca wool and severed ties with Mallkini, the world’s largest privately owned alpaca farm in Peru. The move followed revelations of animal abuse within the alpaca industry.

Perfumes

Since 2010, Valentino Perfumes has belonged to the Puig company. Its fragrances have included: Valentino Classique for women (1978), Vendetta By Valentino for women (1991), Very Valentino for women (1998), Very Valentino for Men for men (1999), Valentino Gold for women (2002), V for women (2005), Valentino V Absolu for women (2006), Valentino V Ete By Valentino for women (2006), Rock’n’Rose for women (2006), V pour Homme for men (2006), Rock n’ Rose Couture for women (2007), and Valentina for women (2011). In 2020, Valentino Beauty announces the release of a new perfume, Viva Voce, and announces Lady Gaga as its égérie.

Creative directors

• Valentino Garavani – 1959 to 2007
• Alessandra Facchinetti – 2007 to 2008
• Maria Grazia Chiuri & Pierpaolo Piccioli – 2008 to 2016
• Pierpaolo Piccioli – 2008 to present