By Sarah Baker
Valentino: From Fashion Dream to Dream Homes
Valentino Garavani is a globe-trotting, dress making phenomenon. He can’t seem to stay in one place. From his many luxurious homes placed all over the world, to his multiple clothing labels in all the top cities, it’s no wonder why he is one of the greatest of all time. He may have it all now, but he certainly didn’t start out that way, nor was it easy for him.
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| Valentino with models for one of his fashion shows |
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| Valentino's Home in Paris, France |
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| Valentino's Home in Paris, France |
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| Valentino's Home Paris, France |
Valentino’s Successes and Failures
Valentino Garavani was born in Italy in May of 1932. He discovered at an early age that he wanted to be a fashion designer for women. He began learning the basics of fashion design from his Aunt. He said that he was always sketching designs “all on top of my schoolbooks.” As a teenager, he moved to Paris to study design. His first apprenticeship left him failing, but he didn’t let that stop him. He ended up with a job as a sketcher for Jean Desses, with whom he worked for 5 years. He eventually returned to Italy and enlisted the help of his father, who enlisted the help of an associate, to open his own fashion house. Unfortunately, he had no sense of money. He didn’t care or even look at how much things cost, he just knew he wanted to best. He spent so much money in the first year that his father’s associate pulled out, causing his fashion house to go bankrupt. Later that year, he met Giancarlo Grammetti. When he met him, he was just an architect student but Grammetti was so determined to help Valentino that he dropped out of school and the two have been together, professionally and even personally for 12 years, ever since. Grammetti was just what Valentino needed. He kept the books and managed the business while letting Valentino do what he does, design.
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| Valentino has been with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti for 50 years |
He spent almost 50 years designing dresses for like likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, creating labels such as Valentino Red, Valentino, Valentino Garavani, and Oliver. These labels are in his fashion boutiques all over the world in places such as Bangkok, Paris, Atlanta, Buenos Aires, Dallas and Tokyo.
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| Valentino with models dressed in his creations |
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| Valentino in 1987 |
Valentino’s Luxurious Homes
Valentino has said that, “there are only three things that I can do. Make a dress, decorate a house, and entertain people.” Given his many labels, fashion houses, and high profile clients, no one can argue that he knew how to make a dress and if you take a look into any of his 5, 6 if you count his yacht, houses, you can see he can definitely decorate a house.
Chateau de Wideville in Paris
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
Bought in 1995, this 8 bedroom, 3 story, fully furnished and restored Chateau of Louis XIII near Paris is a great mixture of Italian and Asian antiques. He worked with decorator Henri Samuel on every room to decorate this house. His favorite spot would be the Winter Garden. This is a multipurpose chamber mainly furnished with an Asian influence. There are famille-rose garden seats, stout covered jaus perched on gilt-wood consoles, and a battalion of figures in Chinese costumes and displayed on golden wall brackets. He likes to retreat to the pigeonnier that he saved from destruction. It is a three story cylinder structure made of limestone and brick. He like to go here to read, listen to music, and reflect.
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
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| Chateau de Wideville, Valentino’s Home Near Paris |
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| Valentino's prized collection of porcelain |
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| Martha Stewart decides to give herself a tour of Valentino's house |
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| Valentino spray painted yellow patches of grass green just for his party |
Villa in Rome
Bought in 1972 and located near the Appian Way, this home is a combination of sophisticated appreciation of many cultures and times and a cozy familiarity. Renzo Mongiardino and Adrian Magistretti worked together to decorate the home that has influences of China, Italy, and France. The living room boasts marble floors and massive columns. The master suite is a warm and intimate retreat for Valentino. He keeps his treasured souvenirs, personal memorabilia, and photos of friends in here. His love for the color red is also prominent in this room. This home doesn’t have the grand proportions of some of the others. The ceilings are extremely high and nearly every room has windows and doors that lead to the gardens that surround the home.
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| Valentino's villa in Rome |
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| Valentino's villa in Rome |
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| Valentino's villa in Rome |
Manhattan Apartment
Chalet Gifferhorn in Gstaad, Switzerland
This home is used mainly only in the winter for skiing. He usually spends a month a year here enjoying skiing and entertaining. In fact, one New Year’s Eve, he had neighbors file complaints on his party, citing that it was too loud and went long into the night.
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| Chalet Gifferhorn, Valentino’s Home in Gstaad, Switzerland |
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| Chalet Gifferhorn, Valentino’s Home in Gstaad, Switzerland |
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| Chalet Gifferhorn, Valentino’s Home in Gstaad, Switzerland |
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| Chalet Gifferhorn, Valentino’s Home in Gstaad, Switzerland |
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| Valentino’s dogs |
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| Chalet Gifferhorn, Valentino’s Home in Gstaad, Switzerland |
Mansion in London
Located in London’s Holland Park, this 19th century mansion is covered in books, sculptures and large ceramic dogs. He has said that this is his favorite home because he loves the British attitude. The centerpiece of this mansion is the grand salon that houses five late Picasso’s. The drawing room is covered with French polished wood, tassels, and huge contemporary modern pictures. He has a small salon with two Basquats and a painting by Damien Hirst. There is nothing too flashy in this home and is perfectly symmetrical.
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| Valentino in a salon of his London home. Warhol’s Flowers, 1964 and Damien Hirst’s Ethyl Linolenate 2003 are in the background. |
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| Giammetti in his London bedroom, designed by Jacques Grange. |
T. M. Blue One Yacht
Named after his parents, Teresa and Mauro, this 152 foot yacht’s interior was designed by architect Peter Marino. There are always 11 full time staff aboard the yacht. He also has a collection of art from Picasso to Warhol on board. In the summer months of June and July, he sails to a different Mediterranean port every weekend.
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| Valentino's T. M. Blue One Yacht |
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| Valentino's T. M. Blue One Yacht |
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Valentino Garavani is arguably fashions greatest asset. Though he has since “retired” from fashion and sold his line, he is still avidly working on dressing for the theatre and ballet. With his many labels and homes across the world, you can see that he enjoys the lavish lifestyle. He credits Giancarlo Giammetti for his ability to live the way that he does as well as the success of his business. While he is a very talented designer, without Giammetti, all of his ventures may have gone bankrupt just as the first did. By taking a peak into his homes and his career, it’s easy to see why he was so coveted by the famous all of the world.
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| Seamstresses in the eveningwear atelier |
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