Giambattista

Valli
Shriya Parmeshwaran
Fashion Design UG 3
Giambattista Valli
Giambattista Valli is an Italian fashion designer.
He is from Rome, Italy.
His labels include both pret and haute couture.
Giambattista Valli couture - 2005
Joined Haute couture in 2011
Giamba - a sister pret company - 2014
Shows four times a year during.
He had an evarlasting dream of creating a true
"M a i s o n"

Effortless, Ageless, Timeless

R o m a n t i c a n d d r e a m y w i t h h e a v y it a l ia n
inspiration
Image courtesy : Pinterest
Image courtesy (Title)  : Twitter
Giambattista Valli
couture
"Mystification of art"

“I wanted the people finally to look at... the

a r t w o r k o f m a k i n g H a u t e C o u t u r e a n d n o t fr o m fa r
a n d n o t i n m o v e m e n t . I t h i n k p r iv a c y is t h e
u l t i m a t e l u x u r y . P e o p l e r e a l l y g e t in s p ir e d b u t
s o m e t i m e s f r u s t r a t e d b e c a u s e t h e r e is n o a c c e s s t o Image courtesy : Vogue.com

t h e h o u s e . I w a n t e d t o g i v e t h e m t h e p o s s ib il it y t o "Only 2000 people worldwide annually

have their own Giambattista Valli moment.” purchase Haute Couture.With elaborate
-G i a m b a t t i s t a V a l l i , U K f a s h i o n n e t w o r k and expensive sets and invite-only guest
lists, these Haute Couture fashion
r u n w a y s h o w s a r e j u s t a s e x c l u s iv e a s
the collections themselves. "
- medium.com
A positive step towards demystification of couture.
Having people look at his "artwork" in showrooms, mimicking a museum, again is not
entirely demystifying his content.
Conducting such events, for people to view his clothing is in a way not really doing much for
demystification of couture.
Since they are items of clothing, it creates a vaccum in the market, even after letting people
view his work. A desire to buy his garments, it seems unattainable.
Giamba - RTW
" G i a m b a i s n o t a s e c o n d l i n e , n o r I e v e r in t e n d e d it a s
s u c h . I t i s t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f a n o t h e r s id e o f m y
p e r s o n a l i t y , b e c a u s e I h a v e m a n y . T h e c o l l e c t io n is
thought for the same woman I usually speak to. I just
i m a g i n e h e r i n a f t e r - h o u r m o d e . T h is is s o m e t h in g I
a l w a y s w a n t e d t o d o , a n d n o w I h a v e fo u n d t im e t o . "
-Giambattista Valli, BoF

With its mix of romanticism and S&M, couture finesse

and street savvy, Giamba was accepted with open arms.
- B o f 

Image courtesy : Vogue.com

By describing his collections with reference to romanticism and S&M, he is further
mystifying his brand.
Even though the price is lower than couture, his pret line is the only way to fund for his
couture.
His inspiration comes a lot from his birth country Italy, which seems as a foreign concept for
many people.
His upbringing, which he doesn't talk about much, has influenced his distinctive, bold
silhouttes and traditional thinking.
 Replication
"De-mystification?"

A youtuber, withwendy, tried her

hand at replicating the
Giambattista valli x H&M tulle
dress, worn by Kendall Jenner

Image courtesy : pop sugar Image courtesy : youtube

Because of social media and the digital age, we are able to access all the couture shows and
pieces with a click of a button.
This youtuber easily replicated the H&M x Giambattista Valli dress worn by Kendall Jenner.
So in a way, the value of the "artwork" decreases since it is easily replicated.

Image courtesy : stylecaster
Valli Girls
"Gender-ing"
Oh, to be a Valli Girl. Independent spirit,
fearless leader, and, most importantly, muse
of beloved fashion designer, Giambattista
Valli. - MAC cosmetics
BROAD YET CONSERVAT IV E?
"I do not want to categorise my woman: I
think she is more a mental disposition than
a body shape. She is free and plays with
fashion while keeping her distinctive
personality. She is body-conscious and lives
in harmony with herself. She is demanding
and potentially always has a man at her
side."
Image courtesy : pop sugar -Giambattista valli, BoF
It is rather confusing to understand what Valli thinks of women.
He describes his women as bold, free, playful with a distinctive personality but then goes on
to say that she is body conscious and lives in harmony with herself.
Describing women as body conscious is extremely problematic as if in some way his clothing
will make her feel special and secure about herself.
But he could also be trying to say that she knows her flaws and lives in harmony with them,
being aware and empowered.
Potentially having a man at her side, portrays a very chauvinistic thinking of the designer.
That she can be feminine only if there is a man at her side. She needs his approval and
depends on him for everything. This approach is extremely wrong. But it could also mean
that Valli is trying to say that she walks shoulder to soulder with other men, hence men at
her side.

Image courtesy : h&m
“I’m not a designer who dresses someone to go
to work – my community is very jet set. I hate it
when luxury houses make people feel they need
to buy something, or else you aren’t cool."
-Giambattista valli, vogue
Publicity
G i a m b a t t i s t a v a l l i x H & M - M a s s c l u s iv e
"I loved creating beautiful, extraordinary
pieces for the Valli boys and girls around
the world, and I am excited at the idea of
them being able to afford and collect
something so unique, with the distinct
silhouette that defines the DNA of
Giambattista Valli."
-Giambattista valli, vogue
"This will make us in some way richer - even
though we will be poorer by having spent
our money."
-Ways of seeing, John Berger
This collection with H&M is just another way to connect with the masses. Showing that he
actually wants to bring couture to retail.
The collection was extremely exclusive and priced almost as expensive as his pret
collection. 
In a way, again, Valli created a vaccum in the market, like in some way if people could buy
what he has to offer, would make them look more richer.
He contradicted his own statement that he hates how luxury houses people make feel that
they have to buy something or else they aren't cool enough. He created the same feeling
among the retail masses, that they had to have his collection.
 The inspired couturier, whose edgy
elegance is whimsically modern and
gloriously classic, brings his discerning eye
to M•A•C via the chicest possible collection
of lip hues.
-MAC cosmetics
Image courtesy : MAC cosmetics
Publicity
Giambattista valli x MAC
"I was watching David Letterman’s show
with Anna Wintour promoting the very first
year of Fashion’s Night Out. Letterman
asked, “How can you change the wardrobe
of a woman with just $20?” Anna replied,
“You go out and pick a brand new lipstick.” I
thought that was so brilliant. So my idea
was to put together the Valli colours — reds,
pinks and fuchsia — hues that fit any kind of
personality."
-Giambattista valli, MAC cosmetics
This collection of lipsticks was rather well connected to the masses. Inspired by nature, he
created a collection of colours that women generally wear.
It was running the market for a long time and not as expensive as other collaborations of
mac with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.
The colours are very appropriate for daily wear for a lot of people and compliments
maximum skin tones (pink, fushcia, red).
A very good attempt at understanding the market and what women want in their regular day
to day basis.
Publicity
Giambattista Valli for Harper's Bazaar - Can you
wear haute couture IRL?
The video portrays a vision where wearing couture in everyday life is normal.
The video surprisingly doesn't capture much of people staring at her while she is walking.
Trying to eliminate the fact that it is not normal.
Not everybody's everyday life is grocery shopping at a very expensive store, going to
gorgeous hotels, and running in the street.
And the idea of wearing couture is so unrealistic - from the cliché view of France, not
carrying a purse/credit card, to buying loads yet not carrying anything and the dress still
being perfect.
In a way, it captures the essence of couture, but not in everyday life.