Valentino

Valentino was able to infiltrate the tightly knit couture circle in Paris by studying at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris. He became an assistant at Jean Desses in 1950, moved to Guy Laroche in 1956 and in 1960 he returned to his native Italy and set up a couture house in Rome. Two years later he did his first ready-to-wear collection and he showed it at the Pitti Palace in Florence, a move which led to greater exposure and set him as a major Italian designer. Valentino is known for grand and dramatic collections, like in 1968 when he presented a surprisingly young and modern all white collection which lead to him being the top wedding dress designer, creating dresses for Jacqueline Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor. His trademark color is a bright orange-red which he uses over and over in his collections and his breathtaking pieces have been worn on red carpets all over the world.