Valentino New Navy Silk Cape Dress
View Similar Items
Valentino New Navy Silk Cape 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. 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.
- Helmut Lang New Dress with Sequins 1990sBy Helmut LangLocated in Water Mill, NYA great navy blue dress by Helmut Lang. It is a simple crew neck sheath with a square black sequin covered center front panel from neckline to bust. It is unlined and has snaps clo...Category
1990s French Sheath Dresses
- Versace Color Block Dress with StudsBy VersaceLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous dress from Versace in purple and black silk jersey. It is sleeveless, semi fitted with a purple front panel and with insets of black along one side and front hem covered ...Category
2010s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Thierry Mugler Color Block DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in Water Mill, NYA beautiful body conscious purple dress trimmed in black velvet by Thierry Mugler. It has short sleeves, a sweetheart neckline and is semi fitted with princess seaming through to th...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- Valentino Boutique Silk Disc Sleeve Dress 1980sBy Valentino, Valentino GaravaniLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous navy silk dress with tiny white dots dress from Valentino. The cap sleeves are incredible, the ends of them encircled with several 100 finished circles adding dimension a...Category
1980s Italian Day Dresses
- Pierre Cardin 1960s Iconic Metal Hardware Collar DressBy Pierre CardinLocated in Water Mill, NYAn amazing purple wool dress from Pierre Cardin. It is sleeveless, skims the body then flares subtly to midi length with a center front slit. Around the neckline is a stunning silver metal hardware...Category
1960s French Day Dresses
- Gianni Versace Purple 1990s Dress with Origami HemBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous light weight purple wool dress by Gianni Versace. It is semi fitted with a stand up collar and long sleeves. The hem has intricate layers folds at angles front and back....Category
1990s Italian Day Dresses
- S/S 2002 Gianni Versace by Donatella Purple Lace-Up Eyelet DressBy Gianni Versace Couture, Donatella VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a purple plunging eyelet dress designed by Donatella for the Gianni Versace Spring/Summer 2002 collection. The eyelets that cover every inch of this dress give it a flirty...Category
Early 2000s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- S/S 2002 Gianni Versace by Donatella Runway Purple Lace-Up Eyelet DressBy Gianni Versace Couture, Donatella VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a purple plunging eyelet dress designed by Donatella for the Gianni Versace Spring/Summer 2002 collection. The eyelets that cover every inch of this dress give it a light ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- S/S 1999 Gianni Versace by Donatella Runway Abstract Print Purple Silk DressBy Donatella Versace for Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a beautiful purple abstract Gianni Versace dress, designed by Donatella Versace for the Spring/Summer 1999 collection. This dress debuted on the season's runway and features a bold abstract purple print throughout with a v-neckline. Add this late 1990s runway...Category
1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- F/W 2004 Versace by Donatella Versace Purple Tiger One Shoulder Buckle DressBy Versace, Donatella VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a vibrant purple tiger print Versace dress, designed by Donatella Versace. From the Fall/Winter 2004 collection, the same print in yellow/orange debuted on looks 8 and 11. This beautiful deep purple dress...Category
Early 2000s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- Zandra Rhodes Vintage Purple Blue Off Shoulder Cocktail Silk DressBy Zandra RhodesLocated in Beverly Hills, CA1980s Zandra Rhodes off shoulder purple blue silk chiffon cocktail dress. Fit Size 4 Bust: 34 inches/ Waist: 28 inches ** minor discoloration inside lining ( see image attached)Category
1980s British Summer Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Satin Dress by Stefano Pilati, 2008 CollectionBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Toulon, FRSpring Summer 2008 Collection France Yves Saint Laurent sleeveless dress in amethyst silk satin. Spring Summer 2008 collection by Stéfano Pilati. Variation passage no. 14. Round neckline underlined by flat pleats with draping effect all along the dress. Label white background black graphic Yves Saint Laurent Made in...Category
Early 2000s French Aesthetic Day Dresses