Valentino SpA

Valentino SpA is a clothing company founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani. It is a part of Valentino Fashion Group. Since October 2008, the creative directors are Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. Alessandra Facchinetti was Valentino's creative designer from 2007 to 2008. Valentino is headquartered in Milan.

History

Early history

Valentino was founded in 1960 when Garavani opened a fashion house on Via Condotti in Rome, Italy with the backing of his father and his father's associate.

Garavani and Giammetti later started a new company.

Rise to popularity

Valentino's international debut took place in 1962 in Florence, the Italian fashion capital of the time.

Valentino has also specially designed wedding dresses for Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez, Courtney Cox, Sophie Hunter and Princess Madeleine of Sweden.

From HDP group to Marzotto group

In 1998, Garavani and Giammetti sold the company for approximately $300 million to HdP, an Italian conglomerate controlled, in part, by the late Gianni Agnelli, the head of Fiat. In 2002, Valentino S.p.A., with revenues of more than $180 million, was sold by HdP to Marzotto Apparel, a Milan-based textile giant, for $210 million. It was rumored that HDP was displeased with Garavani's and Giammetti's personal expenses, a claim at which Giammetti has bristled.