1972 Valentino Haute-Couture White Crepe & Ostrich Feathers Empire Formal Gown
View Similar Items
1972 Valentino Haute-Couture White Crepe & Ostrich Feathers Empire Formal Gown
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. Valentino dresses, skirts and other apparel captured the hearts of many of Italy’s wealthiest ladies in the couturier’s early days and led to commissions from Babe Paley, Gloria Guinness, Jayne Wrightsman and others on the international best-dressed list (when it still meant something). They sought out Valentino for gorgeous gowns, jackets, elegant daytime wear and even when they needed wedding dresses.
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 dresses 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 offers a range of collections that include the Valentino Garavani line and REDValentino, a diffusion line that is aimed at a younger audience. The house 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.
- Vintage 1910's Edwardian White Embroidered Cotton Cut-Out Bridal Boudior DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CARomantic boudior dresses from the early 20th century are perennial favorites and this one is a show-stopper. The garment's effortless style is so modern; the fine embroidery and mixed-laces are a treasure trove of needle art...Category
1910s French Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Perullo Abstract Atomic Purple Blue Cotton One-Shoulder DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThis Perullo for David Hart designer show-stopper is one of the most alluring and flattering 1950's print dresses I have ever seen. Fashioned from a luxurio...Category
1950s American Ballerina Day Dresses
- Vintage 1960's Malcolm Starr Beaded Ivory Chiffon Empire Goddess Bridal GownBy Malcolm Starr, Elinor Simmons for Malcolm StarrLocated in Beverly Hills, CAWith the sparkling embellishment and ethereal ivory creme color, this dazzling 1960's Malcolm Starr evening gown does not disappoint. The substantial weight of the draped silk chiffon fabric whispers high-end luxury. The bodice is an elegant shelf-bust empire plunge with sparkling adornment. Metallic gold embroidery and beadwork cover the whole bust; giving the garment so much depth and texture. This figure flattering designer gown...Category
1960s American Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1970's Halston Couture Blue Beaded Floral Silk Crepe Long-Sleeve DressBy HalstonLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGorgeous Halston light-blue beaded shift dress dating back to his 1977 couture collection. Halston revolutionized the way women dress and is one of the few designers, alongside Claire McCardell and Norman Norell, to define what is American fashion. Throughout most of the seventies he epitomized the glamour, as well as the decadence of the era, becoming a central figure in the nightlife scene of New York's Studio 54. He was known for his flattering body-conscious clothing in jersey and silks. This simple yet dynamic cocktail is a perfect example of his genius. The whole garment is fashioned with pastel hue glass-beads layered on embroidered light...Category
1970s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Bergdorf Goodman Ivory Sequin Embroidered Tulle Strapless GownBy Bergdorf GoodmanLocated in Beverly Hills, CAIn this gorgeous early 1950's Bergdorf Goodman ivory-white gown, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern haute-cou...Category
1950s American Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1970s Travilla Ivory Chiffon & Lace Illusion Dolman Sleeve Bridal DressBy Travilla, William TravillaLocated in Beverly Hills, CAExtremely chic late 1970's ivory silk-chiffon and rose-print lace bridal dress from the iconic Travilla label. William Travilla designed costumes for...Category
1970s American Wedding Dresses
- 1980s Zandra Rhodes Abstract Motif Drop Waist Silk DressBy Zandra RhodesLocated in Scottsdale, AZLooking For The Perfect 80s Dress? Well It's Arrived! Circa 1980s, this Zandra Rhodes asymmetrical drop waist dress features a cream and black pattern of flowers, swirls and tribal i...Category
1980s English Evening Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Silk Beaded Maxi DressBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Scottsdale, AZThis is a mid-century gem! This Yves Saint Laurent gown has details upon details. The most remarkable being the intricate beaded creating a pattern around the round neckline and the ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Maxi Dress
- Christian Dior by John Galliano lavender crochet lace maxi dress, ss 2000By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Christian Dior maxi dress ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Lavender viscose crochet lace ▪ Canary yellow zigzag stitch trimmings ▪ Figure hugging ▪ Rayon-knit underdress attached ...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- John Galliano floral print silk chiffon drop-waist floor-length dress, fw 2008By John GallianoLocated in London, GB▪ John Galliano silk chiffon dress ▪ A sample made for Vogue ▪ Ivory and pink floral print with mauve base ▪ Cowl neckline ▪ Rolled shoulder straps ▪ Drop waist ▪ Multiple fabric ...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- ALEXANDER MCQUEEN green silk PLATOS ATLANTIS PRAYING MANTIS GOWN Dress LBy Alexander McQueenLocated in Zürich, CHAlexander McQueen 'Praying Mantis' empire down in green silk (100%) with a round neck and is sleeveless. This collector piece is from the SS 2010 Platos Atlantis collection. Flares f...Category
2010s Unknown Cocktail Dresses
$11,000 Sale Price20% OffFree Shipping - Brunello Cucinelli Sport Grey Cotton Strech Day EnsembleBy Brunello CucinelliLocated in Bilbao, ESBrunello Cucinelli Sport Grey Cotton Strech Day Pool Ensemble Strech oversize cardigan and over shirt material: 75% Cotton & 25% Liurex Size Large Made in Italy *Orders welcome all goods are insured and we package all purchases to a high standard PRADERA Fashion Division...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Cocktail Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Two-Piece Beaded Gown by Puerto Rican Designer David Fernandez Is the Embodiment of 1970s Glam
On the Met Gala red carpet, this vintage ensemble would bring the heat.
Madonna Wore the Same Plunging Azzedine Alaïa Design on the Cover of ‘Cosmo’ in 1987
The gold silk stunner was part of a knockout collection that changed the trajectory of Alaïa's then-troubled brand.