About Valentino : Valentino left Paris in 1959 to open a fashion house in Rome. He modeled his business on the grand houses he had seen in Paris. In his early shows,
Valentino quickly gained recognition for his red dresses, in a shade that became widely known as "Valentino red."In 1960, Valentino met Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome.
Giammetti, an architecture student, quickly became Valentino's partner, both professionally and romantically. Together, the pair developed Valentino SpA into an
internationally recognized brand. Valentino's international debut took place in 1962, at the Pitti Palace in Florence. The show cemented the designer's reputation
and attracted the attention of socialites and aristocratic women from around the world. Within a few years, Valentino's designs were considered the pinnacle of Italian
couture. In 1967, he received the prestigious Neiman Marcus Fashion Award. His client list included the Begum Aga Khan, Queen Paola of Belgium and movie stars
Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn.
Among Valentino's most prominent clients was Jacqueline Kennedy. Kennedy developed an interest in the designer's work after admiring friends in several Valentino
ensembles. In 1964, Kennedy ordered six dresses in black and white, which she wore during the year following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy.
She would remain a friend and a client from that point on, linking the Valentino name to her own iconic status in the fashion world. Valentino also designed the dress that
Kennedy wore when she wed Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968.While maintaining strong ties to Florence and Rome, Valentino spent much of the 1970s
in New York. In addition to his friendship with Kennedy, he became close friends with artists such as Andy Warhol. Over the course of his career, Valentino's primary
lines have been Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma and R.E.D. Valentino.
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