Valentino Pre-Fall 2014 Red Cape Gown Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 6 (US)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU3909222409442
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Caroline Constas Orange Floral Silk DressBy Caroline ConstasLocated in London, GBGorgeous Caroline Constas orange floral silk dress - bought for £675 and unworn. Made from ultra soft orange silk and elastane, with a delicate floral spring print. It has a super f...Category
2010s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Valentino Resort 2020 Pleated Chiffon Floral GownBy ValentinoLocated in London, GBAbsolutely stunning Valentino gown from the Resort 2020 collection - bought for £5250 and worn once. Made from ethereally light knife pleated silk chiffon ...Category
2010s French Casual Dresses
- Chanel SS14 Tweed Rope Trim Black Cold Shoulder Shift DressBy Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in London, GBFabulous unworn Chanel SS14 dress in a rare larger size. Bought for £3500 and never worn. Made from mid weight black polyester crepe with neon tweed rope trims...Category
Early 2000s French Shift Dresses
- Bottega Veneta PF20 Hardware Detail Black DressBy Bottega VenetaLocated in London, GBStunning minimalist Bottega Veneta Hardware Detail Shirt Dress from the Pre-Spring 2020 Collection. bought for £1595 and worn once. Crafted in Italy from heavy black 'dense crepe' st...Category
2010s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Prada Fall 2018 Logo Circuit Panel Body Con DressBy Miuccia Prada, PradaLocated in London, GBFuturistic cool Prada body con dress from the Fall 2018 collection. New with tag. Made from super stretchy black polyester knit with a raised grey circuit b...Category
2010s Unknown Sheath Dresses
- Alice + Olivia Tevi Floral Palm Print DressBy Alice + OliviaLocated in London, GBSuper pretty Alice + Olivia Tevi Floral Palm print dress. bought for £695 and new with tags. Made from viscose chiffon, it has a cowl neckline, tie belt and floaty, high low asymmetr...Category
2010s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Comme Des Garçons Button-up Black Chiffon Shirt DressBy Comme des GarçonsLocated in Berlin, BEComme Des Garçons Button-up Black Shirt Dress Brand: Comme Des Garçons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection/Year: 2000s Fabric: Cotton / Chiffon Color: Black Size: XS Japanese desig...Category
2010s Japanese Casual Dresses
- Vintage 1920's Gold Beaded Sequin Dress Flapper Dress UK 6-8 US 2-4Located in Cheltenham, GBFull of opulent original details, rendered in the most luxurious fashion, this rare 1920's piece is a beauty to behold and never again find. The rounded neckline of the dress, is fr...Category
1920s European Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1920's Black Silk Chiffon Beaded Bow Dress UK 12 US 8Located in Cheltenham, GBFull of opulent original details, rendered in the most luxurious fashion, this rare 1920's piece is a beauty to behold. On a base of black silk chiffon and embellished with glass bea...Category
1920s European Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Silk Brocade Butterfly Dress UK 8-10 US 4-6Located in Cheltenham, GBA marvel to behold, this original 1950's silk brocade dress in a vibrant shade of fuchsia pink with rose pink accents, in a wonderfully intricate butterfly pattern, is just the piece...Category
1950s Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Late 1950's Black Christian Dior Dress UK 8 US 4By Christian DiorLocated in Cheltenham, GBThis collectible and rare late 1950's Christian Dior dress, rendered in a deep black wool crepe, showcases the iconic silhouette of the era, whilst remaining to this day a classic an...Category
1950s European Cocktail Dresses
- Chanel Resort 2013 DressBy ChanelLocated in Brooklyn, NYBehold this exquisite Chanel pale pink dress, a radiant gem plucked from the illustrious resort 2013 collection, as famously showcased on the elegant runway by none other than the ca...Category
2010s Day Dresses