Italian Fashion Empire

If you have been following my blog for October, it is obvious that I gave special attention to Italian fashion designers. Actually there are a lot more of them that I should have included but perhaps I will work on that next time. It was really great to study and write something about the fashion houses of Italy. I get to learn how these designers started their businesses and how they made it flourish and thrive for so many, many years and the drama behind it all (at least for one fashion house).

To sum it up I would say that Italian fashion stands out by itself, it is different from the French, Japanese or American style. In my own opinion Italian fashion is reserved and stylish, it can be severe but it still retains its own appeal, it is an original and I believe only a true Italian designer would be able to grasp it.

The Italians have long been stylish and fashionable. Since ancient Roman times the use of opulent garments and accessories was part of their life. Check out the illustrations and sculpture of Roman art and read the history of Rome's everyday life and you will learn that Romans can be very particular with their clothing, jewelry, hairstyle and even the garish makeup and hairpieces they wear. During the Renaissance, the men and women of Italy were as elegant and stylish as they were during the Roman times. Though this time the materials they used for clothing were much better, silk, satin and dyed fabrics. Accessories galore and imported fashionable goods were in vogue that time as it is now.

Fast forward the 21st century and there is no way of stopping Italy as one of the world's fashion capitals. Italian fashion designers as competitive as ever. Great tailoring and romantic style truly belong to the Italians. Unlike the fall of the Roman Empire, the Italian fashion empire will keep rising and will forever hold its spot in the world of style. Oh what a dolce vita!

Valentino

Just like the title of the documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor I must agree that Valentino Garavani is truly the Emperor of Italian High Fashion and international trends. As I mentioned in my Giorgio Armani blog the two top Italian designers in my list are Giorgio and Valentino with Valentino being number one. His design and style throughout his four decades and a half in fashion is all about class, romanticism, elegance. His creations are so classic that one can wear them over the years and still be in fashion. As an observer of couture I always check the material and the way the clothes hangs and falls on the body, how the fabric moves and if the design can withstand the test of time and short-lived trends, and indeed Valentino's creations passed all of these things in flying colors. I can go on and on praising his talent and designs and I know it would be endless.

Chiuri & Piccioli Collection for Valentino S/S 2010

Valentino Garavani was born 1932 north of Milan. At an early age he knew that he would like to be a fashion designer. With the encouragement of his parents he went to Paris at 17 to study fashion design. In Paris he apprenticed with Jacques Fath, Balenciaga and at Jean Desses where he learned a lot of things from fashion sketching to assisting clients. It was also great that he apprenticed at one of Paris' great designer Guy Laroche. It was late 1950's when he went back to Rome to establish his own fashion house simply called Valentino. It was in the early 1960's when he met his life partner and business partner Giancarlo Giammetti. Their business partnership and bond as life partners made his clothing business stronger. His international haute-couture show in 1962 in Florence catapulted Valentino to fame and fortune. His brand became a worldwide name and royalties, celebrities and influential women all over the world became his faithful clients. The rest is history!

The 1970's saw his fashion house designing ready-to-wear clothing for men and women, plus accessories, jeans, perfume and decor line. 1989 his boutique store chains opened in the key cities of the United States and Japan. It was at the same year the Accademia Valentino was opened, which serves as a cultural space for art exhibits. In 1990 together with partner Giammetti and friend Elizabeth Taylor, they founded the L.I.F.E. association for the support of AIDS related patients. The activities at Accademia Valentino benefits this cause.

Chiuri & Piccioli Collection for Valentino S/S 2010

Throughout his career as fashion designer he received numerous accolades and awards. And in 2008 the grand designer of fashion retired. He made his last haute couture presentation in Paris, January 2008 and his last women's ready-to-wear show in Paris on October 2007. The House of Valentino's designs and creations are presently run by creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. Valentino Garavani's line are Valentino, Valentino Garavani, Valentino Roma and R.E.D. Valentino. His famous creations were the Valentino Red dresses and the all-white Valentino dresses which will always remain a classic.



Photo Credit: Valentino's Farewell Haute-Couture S/S 2008 Paris
Photo Courtesy: AP Photo/Jacques Brinon
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14510800@N05/2215358818/

Photo Credit: Valentino Spring 2010 Couture
Photo Courtesy: catwalking.com/WireImagePhoto Link: http://www.zimbio.com/Pier+Paolo+Piccioli/articles/A_qpMNM8LEz/Valentino+Spring+2010+Haute+Couture

House of Gucci

Gucci is one of the biggest fashion brands. I was never a big fan of the brand though every now and then I see great styles from the house. I would say it was the time when American designer Tom Ford was at the helm of design at Gucci was when I really liked the clothes.

Anyway I will not write much about the very long history of Gucci. This fashion house is known to have a lot of in-house intrigue, volatile personalities, perhaps greed regarding inheritance, stock holdings and company management. The brand Gucci was established in 1921 by Guccio Gucci in Florence and was known for its leather goods especially its handbags. After the death of Guccio his sons managed the company. His son Aldo Gucci was responsible for setting up the first Gucci boutique in New York. The company expanded in the late 1960's opening stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Unfortunately in the late 1970's the business was on the verge of bankruptcy, part of it was the in-fighting between the Gucci brothers Aldo and Rodolfo which was mostly about the shares of the company. During the 1980's the brand's exclusivity was gone because of cheap "Gucci" knock-offs that were available all over the world at really cheap or "expensive" prices. Too many things too detail the ascent of the brand back to where it should belong. So I will just fast forward in the late 90's. That was the time when Tom Ford became the brand's chief designer and things started to get better. The House of Gucci is now owned by Pinault-Printemps Redoute. The Creative Director is Frida Gianinni.

The company's benevolent act is their partnership with the UNICEF donating percentage of sales from Gucci stores worlwide for the UN's Children's Fund. The company's annual campaign to benefit the UNICEF supports education, healthcare, protection and clean water programs for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Gucci products include clothing, watches, jewelry, shoes and leather goods.

Photo Credit: Gucci Women's F/W 2010-2011 Milan
Photo Courtesy: The Photo Agency
Photo Link: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/zkmWrFht5ZW/Milan+Fashion+Week+Gucci+Fashion+Show

Bottega Veneta

The Bottega Veneta creations are styles that grow on you, well that's as far as I am concerned (I was never familiar with this brand until the late 90's). The more you look at the designs of the clothes, the palette, material and construction the more it draws you in. The clothes has an air of sophistication and functionality and that is what I like about Bottega Veneta. Though aside from its clothing line the brand is much known for its leather accessories, the Bottega Veneta handbags.

The brand was founded by Vittorio and Laura Moltedo in 1966 in Vincenza. The company manufactured leather goods in the traditions of master leather craftsmen of the Veneto. The brand was well known for their intrecciato leather style, it is simply the interwoven pattern of leather style that is very famous in their handbags. The 1970's and 80's were the decades when the brand reached its height of success around the world. Their no-logo on handbags was a hit. But the company gave in to the early 90's trend when they splashed logos all over their product. It did hurt the image of the brand and eventually the Bottega Veneta name spiralled to bankruptcy. Thanks to the Gucci Group who acquired the company in 2001. The acquisition certainly turned things around for the dying brand. The company hired Tomas Maier as Creative Director of the company. Maier was trained at the respected French fashion institution Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and has nine years of experience under his belt at the House of Hermes. It was a great move for the company.

With the acquisition, Bottega Veneta soared once again...now stronger than ever. The ready-to-wear line for men and women, the jewelry line and furniture collection were launched in the 21st century. Meanwhile the company's staple product - its handbags just got better. The handbags were done exquisitely, they are embroidered, appliques of leather, metal and tortoiseshell-like materials were used and their famous interwoven leather patterns retained its appeal. Their Super Spiga and Souriseau shoes remain best sellers. It just proves that excellent merchandise will never die.

Photo Credit: Bottega Veneta Resort Wear 2011
Photo Courtesy: Bottega Veneta Images
Photo Source: New York Magazine Online
Photo Link:
http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2011/resort/main/newyork/womenrunway/bottegaveneta/

Roberto Cavalli

Cavalli designs in my opinion is the epitome of decadence. I like how his creations present the feel of luxury and extravagance in an edgy urban way. I really cannot exactly put my finger why I am saying this but that is how most of his creations register in my style I.Q. I do not think hardcore fashionistas will agree with me but hey that's what I feel about Cavalli. Yes I like his designs and in fact sometimes I forget that he is European, sometimes I think Cavalli is a young American designer with a whole lot of European edge to him. But at the end of the day, Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is still one of the major designer/trendsetter to contend with in the international fashion scene.

Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence in 1940, and just like Versace and Biagiotti the young Roberto was the son of a tailor. At an early age he was exposed to fashion and sewing. His artistic side he definitely inherited from his impressionist painter grandfather Guiseppe Rossi. Cavalli's artistic skills as a painter are applied on his fabric designs. He is known to print on lightweight leather and he was great at patchwork.

Though he was in the fashion business since the early 1970's it was only in 1994 that Roberto Cavalli showed the world that he is one designer to be reckoned with. His first official collection wowed the press and the fashion set and the jet set. His creations were dubbed as sexy and extravagant and he is one of those designers that brought back the allure of the woman. He is running his fashion house with wife Eva Duringer. Roberto Cavalli designs for men, women, kids, underwear, casuals and home accessories. Labels: Roberto Cavalli Couture, Just Cavalli and Roberto Cavalli Class.

Photo Credit: Roberto Cavalli Couture 2010
Photo Source: Colombia Travel
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/colombia_travel/

Photo Credit: Roberto Cavalli Men
Photo Source: Krasfashion

Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/krasfashion/

Laura Biagiotti

Laura Biagiotti is one of Italy's most successful female fashion designer. Her brand has been dressing women and men for four decades and now that her daughter Lavinia is at the helm of the company helping her mother run the multi-million dollar business, things will just get super. I never paid much attention to the design and style of Biagiotti though I have seen her designs and heard of her since the mid 80's.

Like Gianni Versace, Laura learned the business of making clothes from her mother Delia who was a dressmaker. In 1965 she and the famous designer Angelo Tarlazzi started their own ready-to-wear women's line. But it was in 1972 when she started working for a cashmere company that her own style and creativity developed to what she is known today. Her soft tailoring and losse fitting dresses and her wearable coordinates made the Laura Biagiotti brand famous around the world. She would always stick to designs that are modern, wearable, practical and comfortable.

In 1987 she launched Biagiotti Uomo - the line for men, followed by Laura-Piu for the plus size woman and Laura Biagiotti Jr. for children. Her accessories line include the famous Biagiotti sunglasses and fragrance line: Fiori Bianchi, Night, Roma, Venezia and Biagiotti Due, jewelry and watches, and lingerie line. In 1996 her daughter Lavinia Biagiotti took over the creative responsibilities of the company. She launched Laura Biagiotti Roma line in 2001 for the modern woman and in 2003 both mother and daughter launched Laura Biagiotti Dolls for girls. In 2007 Lavinia was awarded as Italy's Best Young Fashion Entrepreneur. The fashion house of Laura Biagiotti never had it so good.

Photo Credit: Laura Biagiotti S/S 2010
Photographer: Unknown
Sourse and Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/d42d/