Getting to Know Giambattista Valli
If you’re looking for a designer that emphasizes a flouncy, colorful fashion, consider looking for pieces created by Giambattista Valli. His work has been described as full of bright colors, fun to wear, and incredibly posh; Victoria Beckham wears it frequently.
Valli is a French fashion designer (although he was born and raised in Rome) who is known for his flouncy designs and use of color. He began sketching fashion silhouettes in art school, notably drawing the styles created by Yves Saint Laurant. He then worked in public relations for Robert Capucci for a time, before studying fashion with him. Cappuci is considered one of Valli’s mentors–Valli uses the word master–and he is the artist who is responsible for teaching Valli about the elements of color and volume for which he is known today.
Some of Valli’s more recognizable designs include a yellow mini dress made of layers of little lace flowers or waves and an ivory gown covered with pale cloth roses. Other remarkable creations include shirts with long arm openings tucked into tailored shorts, shirtdresses with notable brushstrokes and pretty, colorful, girly little dresses bedecked in bows, layers and lots of volume.
According to his website, Valli is enthralled with Frederico Fellini’s films, and especially his drawings for costumes. This indicates a dramatic flair that, it could be argued, appears frequently in Valli’s work. Valli’s admiration of Andy Warhol is also evident, both in the lines of Valli’s designs and his use of Lou Reed.
So if you’re in the market for a designer who pulls color, volume and girlish frills into delightful dresses and flowing shirts, look no further than Giambattista Valli.
