1980s Valentino Red Polka Dot Dress
View Similar Items
1980s Valentino Red Polka Dot Dress
About the Item
Valentino
The mononymously known Italian designer Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani (b. 1932) is renowned for his fashion house of romantic styles and feminine shapes that he founded in Rome in 1960.
An early fascination with fashion developed when Valentino attended the theater as a child and was dazzled by the evening gowns on stage. While a teenager in Voghera, Lombardy, he studied under Italian designer Ernestina Salvadeo and soon moved to Paris, where he trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Valentino spent time apprenticing under haute couturiers Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche, learning how to design and construct high fashion while also thinking about how to strike out on his own.
In 1959, Valentino returned to Italy, and a year later, he opened his own salon, soon joining with longtime professional and personal partner Giancarlo Giammetti. It was located on Rome’s trendy Via Condotti and modeled after the French maisons. One of his earliest clients was Elizabeth Taylor, who discovered Valentino while she was in Rome filming Cleopatra and ordered the white dress that she wore to the premiere of Spartacus. When the designer launched his first couture line in 1962 with its fiery red colors, it was internationally celebrated, with Valentino soon attiring fashion trendsetters including Princess Margaret and Audrey Hepburn. He formed an especially close friendship with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, for whom he designed numerous dresses. Luxurious drapery with fine needlework, bold uses of color and dramatic flourishes would define Valentino fashion across the decades.
As a fashion house, Valentino is best known for its signature Valentino Red color, though one of its iconic lines is the monochromatic “no colour” collection for which the designer won the Neiman Marcus Award in 1967. (The collection also debuted his trademark “V.”) The white and beige dresses led to a demand for Valentino wedding gowns, with clients including Elizabeth Taylor, Jennifer Lopez and Anne Hathaway. Valentino retired from his fashion empire in 2007, with Alessandra Facchinetti and then the duo Maria Grazia Chiuri (who departed in 2016) and Pierpaolo Piccioli succeeding him as creative directors. But Valentino still steps out of retirement for special occasions, such as designing a wedding gown for Princess Madeleine of Sweden in 2013. Today, the brand has expanded far beyond women’s haute couture and prêt-à-porter to encompass various lines of accessories, including shoes, sunglasses, scarves and perfume.
Find vintage Valentino evening dresses, handbags and other items on 1stDibs now.
- 1950s Blue Floral Wiggle DressLocated in London, GBThis original 1950s dress has a super feminine silhouette and nicely executed details such as the small, square neckline that features a modesty panel with a sailor collar and bow. T...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- 1970s Lee Jordan Multi-Coloured Sequin Maxi DressLocated in London, GBSuperb quality Lee Jordan of New York all over floral sequinned three quarter length column dress. Lee Jordan made very high end department store occasion wear for the affluent American market from the 1960s through to the 1980s. This dress is most likely from the late 1960s to early 1970s. Rows of wavy iridescent sequins overlay an abstract design in georgette fabric in a striking neon rainbow...Category
1970s American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- 1950s Lou-Ette Red and Black Cotton Shirt Waister DressLocated in London, GBThis is a superb and incredibly classic late 1950s shirtwaister dress by Lou-Ette of California. It is made from a beautiful deep burgundy red cotton with a delicate black woven geom...Category
1950s North American Informal Dresses
- 1940s Pale Blue Rayon Dress With Navy And White Pebble PrintLocated in London, GBThis charming 1940s cold rayon pebble print dress in pale blue, navy and white is captivating in its simplicity and is in beautiful vintage condition. A tidy shift cut, this dress fe...Category
1940s American Day Dresses
- 1940s Novelty Print Colouful Rayon Patchwork DressLocated in London, GBThis pretty 1940's rayon crepe dress features a whimsical patchwork/bunting novelty print in soft pastel shades of yellow, blue, pink, purple and green. ...Category
1940s British Day Dresses
- 1920s White Cotton Eyelet Slip DressLocated in London, GBThis is a really good 1920s cotton whitework slip dress. It is incredibly detailed and the execution of the eyelet work is exceptional. The dress may have been an underdress for a te...Category
1920s British Slips
- Moschino Couture Black Cherry Pie Print Cotton Long Sleeve Jumper Dress SBy Moschino CoutureLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Indulge in the sweet sophistication of the Moschino Couture jumper dress. Crafted with meticulous detail, this playful yet elegant piece features a whimsical cherry pie motif, exudin...Category
2010s Italian Casual Dresses
- 1970S Purple & Blue Floral Rayon Boho Loose Size DressLocated in New York, NY1970S Purple & Blue Floral Rayon Boho Loose Size DressCategory
1970s Casual Dresses
- 1970S HALSTON Red Silk Chiffon Oversized Mini Cocktail Dress Covered In Bugle BBy HalstonLocated in New York, NY1970S HALSTON Red Silk Chiffon Oversized Mini Cocktail Dress Covered In Bugle BeadsCategory
1970s Cocktail Dresses
- 1960S White Floral Cotton Jacquard Sateen Mod Dress XLLocated in New York, NY1960S White Floral Cotton Jacquard Sateen Mod Dress XLCategory
1960s Casual Dresses
- Vintage Junya Watanabe Black & White Gingham Parachute Dress 2003By Comme des Garçons, Junya Watanabe Comme des GarçonsLocated in Los Angeles, CAResurrection Vintage is excited to offer a vintage Junya Watanabe for Comme des Garcons sleeveless black and white gingham check parachute dress featurin...Category
Early 2000s Japanese Day Dresses
- MORPHEW COLLECTION Blue & White Cotton Red Butterfly Kaftan Made From Vintage JBy MorphewLocated in New York, NYMORPHEW COLLECTION Blue & White Cotton Red Butterfly Kaftan Made From Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabric MORPHEW COLLECTION is made entirely by hand in our NYC Ateliér of rare antique ma...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Kaftans