The Great Designers: Valentino

He comes from the country of fashion and he's the designer that inspired me to think of fashion as art, not just an industry.

An Italian designer who is inspired by nothing more than his drawing paper. Every day he goes to his office and he has eight hours to produce a masterpiece. And he does it. Perfectly. He says he's designing for romantic people. A man who likes classic, real beauty that your eye can see and aims to it.

The critic's reaction for him is something normal, not really influential, because he knows that if one wants to have a life-long career he has to get accustomed to both good and bad reactions and not be too much influenced by them. Otherwise he'll be paralyzed. That said it's logical that the most important lesson the designer learned is to hear only what you want to hear and not let anything bring you down.

You might be wondering what influences him in that case. He says it's the challenge. You'd never guess looking at the refined dresses of his, but that is what drives him forward. The challenge to make clothes he'd see real people wearing, clothes that are alive. Although he's trying hard to be rational you can always see in his work when he was happy or sad. That is because you cannot be an artist and create without having your feelings of the moment influence your designs. When working he has in mind many people and many artists that inspire him to do better season after season, one collection after the other. A designer who's ultimate goal is to stay in power, who doesn't take no for an answer and likes to have the last word.

A real artist who's aiming for romantic perfection and in the same time is trying hard to be cold and rational so he can do his work the best possible way. Do you already admire him? I know I do! Valentino is the greatest Italian couturier and one of the most respected designers showing in Paris. And it is for a reason that his name is a synonym to showstopping evening dresses, which are immaculately cut in lean, feminine line with dramatic flourishes such as ruffles, romantic embroideries and judicious use of his favorite shade of bright red. To me Valentino is synonymous with perfection.    

" I always design for romantic people... Indulgent maybe, glamorous, sometimes, but people who want classic design with an edge."   ~ Valentino

XoXo

Plami