Fashion Icons Encyclopedia. Valentino.

Valentino's creations are characterized by ultra-feminine dresses, intricate embellishments, bows, feathers, organza, pleats and drapes, and ruffles, to name a few adjectives and nouns. His designs were influenced by movies and the women in his family. He traveled to Paris when he was very young to pursue his dream of being a seamstress and to escape his hometown of Voghera, Italy. He worked in the ateliers of Jean Dessey and Guy Laroche in the City of Light. He returned to Italy shortly after and created his own business, Valentino, with his partner Giancarlo Giammetti.

Valentino is a genius and a figure who is considered to be as rigorous in his pleasures as he is in his profession. His closest friends include Jackie Kennedy -whom he dressed for her first official trip after her husband's assassination-, Julia Roberts -who won her first Oscar with one of her creations-, Lady Di, and the Spanish socialite Rosario Nadal.

His career progressed in a straight line away from the trend, as a tireless search of female beauty. His charisma is such that I could boast that a color named after him, Valentino red, exists.

Valentino announced his retirement in 2008, coinciding with the Roman celebrations honoring his 45 years in the fashion industry. The reigns of creative leadership were handed over to Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, who had been in charge of accessories for the previous ten years. A business based in Qatar agreed to take full control of the company in 2012 while keeping the ultra-feminine essence of its creations.

Maria Grazia Chiuri was rumored to be leaving the brand's creative co-direction in 2016. In the month of June of that very same year, the news is confirmed and Pierpaolo is left alone at the head of Valentino.