Valentino Red Day Dress Circa 1980's
View Similar Items
Valentino Red Day Dress Circa 1980's
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.
- 1960's Galanos Black Silk Chiffon GownBy GalanosLocated in Toronto, OntarioStunning and elegant late 1960's Galanos couture black silk chiffon gown. Fitted halter style bodice with vertical gathering at bust and horizontal ...Category
1960s American Evening Gowns
- 1960's Geoffrey Beene Black Silk Cocktail DressBy Geoffrey BeeneLocated in Toronto, OntarioCute and chic 1960's Geoffrey Beene black silk crepe cocktail dress. Empire waist and cap sleeve. Perfect for nearly any occasion. Invisible zipper closure up back. Excellent vintag...Category
1960s American Cocktail Dresses
- 1980s Chloe Black Dress with Colourful BeadingBy ChloéLocated in Toronto, Ontario1980s Chloe dress with beaded cuffs and pockets. Designed by Karl Lagerfeld, this Chloe dress features his immaculate use of intricate beading on simple bl...Category
1980s French Casual Dresses
- Autumn 1995 Chanel Magenta Boucle DressBy ChanelLocated in Toronto, OntarioVintage Chanel bright magenta boucle dress from the Autumn 1995 collection. Sleeveless with a v neckline and a very classic straight shape. Detailing at w...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- 1970s Chanel Creations Black Silk Micro Pleated Shirt DressBy ChanelLocated in Toronto, OntarioVery sweet 1970s Chanel Creations short sleeve shirtdress. Micro pleated black silk with removable white cotton Peter Pan neckline and cuffs. Black and bronze tone lions head small b...Category
1970s French Day Dresses
- 1980's Laura Biagiotti Cream Knit DressBy Laura BiagiottiLocated in Toronto, OntarioGreat transitional dress in cream knit by Italian designer Laura Biagiotti. Best known for her sumptuous knits this dress fits like a glove and can be worn dressed up or down. In exc...Category
1980s Italian Maxi Dresses
$288 Sale Price28% Off
- Adolfo Tropical Silk Jersey Strapless Dress with Half CapeletBy AdolfoLocated in New York, NYAdolfo strapless dress with bold green, indigo and white tropical floral print. Wonderfully tailored, with fitted bodice and draped open tulip front slit above the knee for movement...Category
Late 20th Century American Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Leonard of Paris Pastel Silk Chiffon Day / Evening DressBy Leonard of ParisLocated in New York, NYPretty pastel silk chiffon Leonard of Paris special occasion day / evening dress. Bodice has a ruffled capelet that flows from the center of the dress...Category
Late 20th Century French Day Dresses
- Leonard of Paris Fuschia Multi Color Silk Chiffon Strapless GownBy Leonard of ParisLocated in New York, NYVintage Leonard of Paris bright and flirty ruffled silk chiffon cocktail dress / evening gown, unmarked size, approximately US 6. Featuring four layer...Category
Late 20th Century French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Textured Leather Bubble DressBy Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueenLocated in Berlin, BEIncredible Alexander McQueen textured leather dress with the most amazing dramatic silhouette. This high-quality dress has the most incredible round silhouette - It is made from a textured leather and features a round neckline with beautiful seam-line details, large round puff...Category
2010s Italian Evening Dresses
- SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE 2014 Black Leather Mini DressBy Hedi Slimane for Yves Saint Laurent, Saint LaurentLocated in Berlin, BEThe most incredible leather mini-dress by Saint Laurent from 2014, designed by Hedi Slimane. This exceptional sleeveless mini dress is made from a soft lamb leather and features gor...Category
2010s French Mini Dress
- Gianni Versace 1997 Couture fall black leather gownBy Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHGianni Versace was an influential Italian fashion designer who founded the Versace brand. In the fall of 1997, he presented his couture collection in Paris, which was widely acclaimed for its opulent fabrics, bold prints, and intricate detailing. The collection featured several notable pieces, such as a black evening gown with a plunging neckline and a gold-encrusted jacket. However, just a few days later, on July 15th, 1997, Gianni was tragically murdered outside his Miami Beach home. Despite his untimely death, his contributions to the world of fashion continue to be celebrated, and his legacy remains an inspiration too many. This collection is iconic as it’s the final collection before his passing. The collection very much showed a new direction for the house. Which was heading away from the bombshell curves and souped-up sex appeal that the house previously focussed on. But took more Inspirations to the new wave John Galliano and Mcqueen were leading. MET Gala: Salma Hayek y sus mejores momentos en la alfombra roja Vogue For the 1997 Met Gala Salma Hayek wore a very similar Gianni Versace look...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
$3,782 Sale Price20% Off