Giambattista Valli – Couture master who chose the chain store

From Thursday it is not only on the lips of the fashion world. When the Swedish H&M quite unexpectedly announced cooperation with Italian, more often than "wow" – as it was on the occasion of previous exclusive projects, from which the chain is known, the question "who is this new designer is?". It is hardly surprising. While the fame of Lagerfeld, Cavalli or Versace runs much beyond the world of fashion, Giambattista Valli is definitely insider. Is thanks to cooperation with H&M will flow out into the wide waters?

Roman life

Giambattista Valli was born and raised in Rome. Growing up in the surroundings of the most famous monuments in the world, he discovered his true passion – art quite early. He was obsessed with colors since childhood. In interviews, he mentions the fun, which consisted in drawing presenters of Italian television (still black and white) and guessing the colors of their clothes. In later years, his works became "more serious" – young Valia copied sketches Yves Saint Laurenta (with whom he made friends a few years later thanks to Kenzo Takada), not only to practice the drawing, but also to understand how to build a figure.

The awareness and presence of art in the Giambattist's Żyic influenced the decision to educate a young Italian – first he studied undergoes undergoing art in Roman high school and Instituto European del Design. The next step was drawing courses at the famous London university Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design. In London, he did not stand up and immediately after graduating from school, he returned straight to his hometown to seriously deal with fashion.

Debut in the industry

He began to take his first steps in Valla's professional life while working for Cecilia Fanfani in organizing fashion shows couture in Rome. Although she didn't have much in common with design, it was Fanfani's job that confirmed the young boy that fashion is the industry with which he wants to tie. He noticed him quite quickly team Roberto Capucci, the Grand Master couture known in exceptional, sculptural creations. It is true that the first job of gimbattist was work in PR, from where he was quickly moved to the team of designers.

Backstage, Gambattista Valli Couture show autumn 2017, source: Sports.yahoo.com

Designer of flesh and blood

He remembers Valla today as one of the most important experiences in his life today. In an interview with Vogue magazine, he said:

Capucci was the best training I had. It was not only about technical knowledge about color and volume, but also about secret rules and respect of respect between the atelier and the master.

Trained at the master, Valli began to be noticed on the Italian fashion market (he took the job of a senior designer of the younger Fendi – Fendissime and head of the women's fashion department in the Krizia brand), but his biggest dream was the conquest of Paris.

Backstage, Gambattista Valli Couture Spring 2016 show,
Source: CRFASHIONBOOK.com

Parisian stories

It is said that dreams are still unrealized plans. Giambattista Valli can confirm this. The great dream about the capital of Paris came true for him in 1997. When he got an invitation to take up the position Art Director collection Ready to Wear at the fashion house Emanuel Ungaro. Only two years were enough for Valli to "take over" the brand. Master Ungaro entrusted him with the position of creative director, which Valli held until 2004.

Emanuel Ungaro and Giambattista Valli, source: Miguelrosales.com

Great catastrophe?

Thanks to working with Emanuel Ungaro, Italy began to gain recognition far beyond the borders of family Rome and Paris. In 2004, Valli was offered to create his own brand financed by the Italian company Gilmar. The first collection turned out to be (at that time) the last one. Valli was accused of too much similarity to the projects of Stefan Pilati (then Creative Director of the Fashion House Yves Saint Laurent). The adventure called the "own brand" initially exceeded the gimabattist, but the Italian did not intend to give up. In particular that he could afford experiments. At the same time, together with Paolo Gerani, he took the job of a creative director in the Iceberg brand, which was a kind of backup in the designer's career.

Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2015/2016, Source: ILPOST.IT

World couture It is open

Working in Iceberg, although it lasted three years, was a period of rest from the world of great fashion for a gimabattist. It was known, however, that sooner or later love for couture will win. In 2007. Valli Italian received a phone call from the Valentino fashion house with a proposal to take the job of a creative director. Fulfillment? It would seem that yes, but Valli did not accept the proposal. Instead, he decided to focus on developing the brand under his own name.

When I left Ungaro, I got an invitation to the famous house, whose name begins to "V". But I would have to hang my own brand, so I refused. I told myself, "I always dreamed of a day when" V "would mean Valli. – he spoke in an interview with "W".

Backstage, Giambattista Valli Couture Spring 2019, source: CRFASHIONBOOK.com

Big changes

In addition to the women's collection, accessories, furs and a wedding collection appeared in the brand's offer. Another change was the one about the business partner. Five -year cooperation with Gilmar came to an end in 2009. In the same year, Giambattista Valli signed a contract with Mariella Burani Fashion Group. The cooperation provided for five years ended after … a year. The designer bought shares and took control of the brand. Simple? Not necessarily if we mean the brand haute couture. As he mentioned in an interview with "W":

I love the idea of being an outsider, but do you know how much this freedom costs? Is very expensive! I am self -financing, self -sufficient and I have to work a lot. Fortunately, I don't do this job to become a billionaire. I do it because I love to create for women.

Backstage, Gambattista Valli Couture show autumn 2017, source: Lukmagazine.com

Under a happy star

And it is women who are the driving force of his creative work, and therefore also business. From the first show haute couture In 2011, Valli "caught clients in the eye". It should be noted immediately that Valli's client is not an ordinary customer. To a group of friends – brand fans, Giamba – as his loved ones say – passes M.in. Salma Hayek, Diane Kruger, Queen of Jordan Rania or Lena Dunham (the famous creation of the actress from the Emmys awards in 2014. this is the work of Giambattista).

Lena Dunhamw designer creation, source: Eonline.com

One of the people closest to him, the "godmother" of the brand was Lee Radziwill. She made the designer famous among the Socials of New York, and finally the whole world.

Giambattista Valli and Ree Ladzwill, source: Wmagazine.com

Valli finally found red carpets. Lupita Nyong'o, Jessica Biel (for which he created a wedding dress), Penélope Cruz, Natalie Portman, Amy Adams and Julianne Moore – each of them dazzled in projects with the Giambattista Valli tag. No wonder, because as Diane Kruger admitted in an interview with "W":

Giambattista loves women. His clothes flatter with female shapes. Make us feel beautiful.

Dress-icon of his project is today Rihanna's creation from the Grammy Awards in 2015. The great pink creature has brought the world along and across and became a hit social media. About Giamba began to speak, not only in the world of fashion.

Rihanna at the Emmy Awards Gala, Source: Wmagazine.com Emma Roberts at the MET 2019 gala, source: Weheartit.com

Haute couture

The designer's dream was never "production for the masses". Instead, he saw himself as a wizard of unique creations – unlimited (including budget) and no compromises.

He also achieved this goal. Valli, who lives and creates in Paris on a daily basis (in a beautiful 16th-century tenement house at Rue Boissy d’Anglas), is one of the few foreign members of Chambre Syndalec de la Haute Couture. This means that he has the full right to describe his collections as haute couture, and also staged them during the high fashion week.

What does his collections look like? In short – like a fairy tale. A lot of tulle, manual embroidery and volume. Everyone, even the smallest element refined in detail.

Backstage, Gambattista Valli Couture show autumn 2019, source: Sports.yahoo.com

A nod to "Szaraczków"

Few can afford for projects with the Giambattista Valla tag. Haute couture This is a story for a handful of clients in the world, "regular" projects (including shoes and accessories) is an expense of several thousand euros. On the one hand, Giambattist desired such "exclusivity", on the other, as a pretty experienced businessman, he quickly realized that the real interest was where there are masses.

The first step in this direction was to create a more affordable Giamba line.

I worked several times with Lena Dunham and it was amazing. Such women are very interesting. Such an eclectic, free spirit, something I want to get thanks to this collection – he explained in an interview for "The Telegraph".

AW 2017/2018 collection of the younger Gambia line, source: Fashionisers.com

Valli also established cooperation with 7 For All Mankind on the capsule collection of jeans, he also created a cosmetics line for the Mac.

Gimabattista Valli collection for 7 for All Mankind,
Source: Fashiongonerouge.com Campaign of the Giambattista Valli cosmetics line for Mac, source: maccosmetics.com

Macy’s created the Macy’s Impulse Line collection for the department store network. For several he was also the creative director of Moncler Gamme Rouge. Thanks to the work of Giamby and Thom Browne (he was responsible for Moncler Gamme Bleu), the Moncler brand got loud. Cooperation with Moncler ended for both men last year, but the Giambattist is not idle.

Giambattista Valli collection for Macy ’ S, source: Girlfto.com

Haute couture x fast fashion

Only on Thursday he announced his – probably the most "mass" – project in history – Cooperation with the Swedish network H&M. The fashion industry has been shocked because how to connect couture With fast fashion And at an affordable price? We didn't have to wait long for the first effects. Already on Thursday pre -election appeared in official advertising materials H&M and … on the red carpet. Kendall Jenner, Chiara Ferragni, singer H.E.R. And a few other stars close to the designer, appeared in creations that are difficult to determine differently than 100% Giambattista, at the Amfar gala in Cannes. Projects – as the first of the collection, which will debut in H stores&M 7 November – were available for purchase on Saturday. Despite the high prices (shoes PLN 799, dresses from 899 to 1999 PLN) Store magazine – as the site says – shines empty. Success? I think we already know what creations will rule on the wedding parquet this year.

The designer and his music in creations designed for H&M,
Source: HollywoodrePorter.com

Giambattista Valli still has an appetite for success. Project from H&M is the best confirmation. During his almost thirty -year career, he collaborated with the largest, by the largest is also appreciated (confirmation in the album "Giambattista Valli" released by Rizzoli). Can he be able to surprise us yet? Time will tell.