Newbury Street, meet Valentino
There are few couturiers who can lay claim to having dressed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Jennifer Lopez and even fewer who have successfully taken their company public, retained creative control, and seen their label soar to new heights. But then there is Valentino Garavani.
Valentino does not subscribe to the next-big-thing school of fashion. In fact, his philosophy is based on respect for the classics as opposed to being a slave to trends.
''Forget about fashion -- the grunge look, the messy look. I cannot see women destroyed, uncombed, or strange," he told Vanity Fair in 2004. ''I want to make a girl who arrives someplace and makes people turn and say -- you look sensational!"
As the city's party season moves into full swing, the ladies -- and gentlemen -- who lunch will finally be able to take their fashion cues from the red carpet looks that are Valentino's signature.
Next week Boston's first Valentino boutique opens at 45 Newbury Street -- 3,000-square feet of prime, first-block real estate, wrapping around the corner of Berkeley Street. The boutique will feature men's and women's ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, handbags, and other accessories.
''It is an amazing location, one of the best luxury retail locations in town for sure," Graziano de Boni, the company's director of operations in the United States, said in a phone interview from New York. ''And the timing was perfect."
The Boston retail market, he said, has shown spark in the last few years: ''My sense is that things are changing, and the old New England subdued style is leaving space for a little more of the glamorous lifestyle. It makes sense for a brand like ours to be in Boston." Another factor at work in the company's decision, de Boni said, was, ''We noticed a lot of Boston-based clients were shopping at our boutiques in the United States and overseas, and we know there is a great international student community and a financial community, both with a high, disposable income."
Valentino, in an e-mail interview from Rome, added, ''With all the heritage and elegance inherent to Boston, I wanted to bring the creations that are available in New York, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach to the Boston area."
But what defines Valentino and his creation? What's his fashion philosophy? He offered some insights in the following e-mail exchange.
You started the business in 1960 and have managed not only to survive but to take the company to a whole, new level. What is your strategy?
It is through hard work and dedication that I have been able to ensure that the company continues to evolve. I have always remained true to myself and to my vision.
How do you stay on the edge of fashion but keep the clothes wearable?
I do not follow trends. Instead, I have always created sexy, feminine pieces that enhance a woman's beauty and accentuate her best features.
Who or what is your inspiration?
I am inspired by all of my surroundings -- by the films I see, the books I read, and the theater I enjoy. One of my favorite things is to walk amidst the city streets and observe the way in which women put themselves together. I still get a kick out of a woman wearing one of my creations!
You are also one of the few companies to retain a successful haute couture business -- do you still envisage a world that demands haute couture, or do you think it is a dying art?
Haute couture will never die. New cities, new clients are constantly emerging -- Shanghai, New Delhi, Tokyo. . . . New fortunes are constantly being amassed, and people with extraordinary taste who appreciate the perfection of couture will always exist.
Do you see the culture of celebrity as continuing, or do you think that the public's obsession with celebrities will abate? Are there any celebrities you would not dress?
I prefer to use the word ''stars." Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez -- all women who are well established and well respected in their craft. I have dressed all of them, and they are very dear to me.
Who is your ideal woman -- what does she look like, what kind of life does she have?
My ideal woman is a lady in her 40s. It is at this point in her life when she has reached the pinnacle of her beauty and has learned all the tricks: She knows exactly what fits best, what tastes best, and how to carry herself. She is intelligent, beautiful, sexy, flirtatious, and confident.
Early on in your career, I think around 1967, you were awarded the
I was thrilled to have discovered America, but it was America who discovered me. It was Elizabeth Taylor who first put me on the map. She wore Valentino head-to-toe at the premiere of Spartacus. Another woman who helped launch my career was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She commissioned me to outfit her with a mourning wardrobe and again asked me to outfit her for her visit to Cambodia. These opportunities truly helped me gain recognition for my designs in the United States and worldwide.
You also have a significant men's business. How would you change the way men dress in general?
A man should always be sporting a smile. . . . I prefer a traditional look for men: well cut Italian suits with lush fabrics. This is the look that I feel flatters most men and is what I showcase on the runway.
You have had a great success with your accessories -- how important are accessories and perfume to the business?
Accessories and perfume are part of the complete vision and lifestyle which I try to bring to life. They help illustrate the best attributes of a woman: her sensuality, elegance, intelligence, and seductiveness. 