THE SIGNATURE REDS OF MAISON VALENTINO

BY JARED BRILL

GIVEN THE MANY ways fashion houses constantly reinvent themselves, it becomes difficult to carry any particular association for too long. Perhaps one designer overcoming that trend is Valentino, whose bold and symbolic use of red has characterized its runway shows for decades. This signature use of red is the focus of Assouline’s newest release, Valentino Rosso, which explores the bold visual imagery of the fashion house.

Its usage dates back to the founder, Valentino Garavani, whose 1990 trip to see the opera Carmen in Barcelona would prove decisive to the future of the maison. “All the costumes on stage were red,” he said at the time. “The women in the box seats mostly wore red dresses and stood out like geraniums on the balcony, and the chairs and curtains were red I understood that there was no better color after black and after white.”

Now, the current creative director of Valentino, Pier Paolo Piccioli, has continued to embrace this signature style of the house he has managed since 2008. “I love the signature red of Valentino,” said Piccioli, “but I do like it not just as a symbol of power and glamour, but as something personal and romantic. Giving red new perception it’s a good thing.” To Valentino, red is more than just a color, it is a good luck charm. It is a reminder of the vitality and the allure that defined his childhood in Lombardy, Italy.

This allure, all unique to Valentino, has shaped how the maison uses red in unexpected ways. The brand is known for its use of bright, bold reds that are not typically seen in traditional fashion. Its usage spans a wide range of different materials and fabrics. The brand has incorporated red into everything from silk and satin to leather and denim, infusing a sense of versatility and flexibility around the color red. The brand is known for using red in everything from classic, timeless pieces, to more modern, avant-garde designs-making it more appealing to a wider range of customers. The house makes the bold sophistication of its signature red as accessible as it can be without sacrificing the luxurious design the atelier is known for. Its power is obvious and flashy. “Red is a physical stimulant” color, adds consultant Katie Smith. “It’s invigorating, intimidating, and it’s never boring.”

For Valentino, red is more than just a motif or a popular selling product. For co-founder Giancarlo Giammetti, it is far more personal.

“Most of our statements came to be because we are romantic,” he said. “We don’t like to throw away things we like or that bring good luck.” With the book’s countless examples of Valentino’s striking and varied reds, one of the maxims of its creation becomes self-evident: Being yourself is the coolest thing you can do. ◆