History

Valentino Garavani opened his couture house on Via Condotti in Rome in 1960, after training in Paris under Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. His talent was immediately apparent — within two years he had dressed Jacqueline Kennedy, beginning an association that brought global attention when the First Lady wore Valentino to her remarriage to Aristotle Onassis in 1968. Rome's Cinecittà film studios and the dolce vita social scene of Via Veneto provided Valentino with a glamorous clientele from the very beginning.

Valentino Red

No colour is more closely associated with a fashion house than Valentino Red — a specific, searing scarlet that the designer identified as the colour of passion, spectacle and life itself. Valentino Red gowns have graced every major red carpet for six decades. The colour is not trademarked, but it is as proprietary in cultural terms as Tiffany Blue. The first Valentino Red dress was presented in his debut 1960 collection and the colour has appeared in every collection since.

The Golden Age

The 1970s were Valentino's golden age — his work defined the aesthetic of international jet-set society. His clients included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Princess Margaret and the world's most glamorous women. In 1982, he presented a landmark retrospective of 25 years of couture at the Capitoline Museums in Rome. In 2008, at the age of 77, Valentino Garavani retired — one of fashion's great departures. Pierpaolo Piccioli, who had worked at the house since 1999, eventually took over as sole creative director and has led a remarkable creative renaissance.

Piccioli's Renaissance

Under Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino has become one of fashion's most critically acclaimed houses. His collections have pushed boundaries with extraordinary romantic maximalism — feathers, extraordinary florals, exceptional haute couture construction — while remaining true to the house's Italian roots. The Valentino Garavani Roman Stud bag, introduced in 2021, became one of fashion's fastest-rising new icons. The brand was sold by Valentino Garavani to the Qatar Investment Authority's Mayhoola fund in 2012.

Prices

Valentino's ready-to-wear entry pieces — accessories, small leather goods — begin around €400–600. The Roman Stud handbag ranges from €1,500 to €3,500. Valentino Garavani pumps start around €700. Ready-to-wear dresses range from €1,500 to €10,000. Haute couture gowns are priced by commission and can reach €50,000 and beyond.