«NOn just known Valentino, I went to visit him in his atelier: It was here, where I’m now. Over the years I decided to buy this space in via Condotti, who became office of the our Foundation “. In an atmosphere of ancient Romanity, the gaze of Giancarlo Giammetti He shines as much as his candid blazer. Impeccable and white dressed, his words alternate a glorious past with trust towards what, of beautiful, has yet to arrive.
For example, the new course of the Valentino Garavani Foundation and Giancarlo Giammetti. Established on their personal and private commitment in 2016, his heart beats today at the headquarters PM23, renewed building in Piazza Mignanelli dedicated to art, fashion and creativity activities. Celebrating all form of beauty: this is the goal of events, workshops, educational initiatives and exhibitions. The first, Horizons | Red (from tomorrow to 31 August) he will celebrate the Simbolo shade of Garavani between magnificent works and clothes.
Valentino and Giammetti, between art and fashion
That meeting, which took place in a Roman summer of 1960united their fate initially in life and forever in his career. To bring beauty in the world (and in the wardrobe) of jet-set and crowned heads: many of them will become friends, as much as the many artists known and collected in over sixty years.
How did you develop, in this place, dedication to beauty?
We are not only talking about the aesthetic beauty linked to our work. There is also the beauty of being able to give, to grow people through what you create for them, from philanthropy to masterclasses. The first exhibition will pay homage to Valentino’s heritage, but the second will be more educational, continuing to unite fashion and art. The great loves of our life.
In this exhibition, it all starts with color.
It is my idea and Valentino. We have been collecting art since we were very young. The red path was followed by two curators, one expert in art and the other in fashion. The clothes have been chosen throughout the years, but also for their structures: they should be observed with a difficult attention to dedicate in such an impacting exhibition visually! Valentino’s passion for this color goes through a “red horizon” underlined by the huge work of a great photographer, of over 30 meters.
The first tributes to the red of a young Valentino Garavani in his Roman atelier. Photo Courtesy of Fvg Services.
In short, it will be a meeting with your past.
Let’s say a new look on clothes that always live around us, it never happens to say “Ah, I didn’t remember this”. On display, they come alive with the work of the artists: many were also friends. Schifano and Franco Angeli I remember them well, in Rome of the 60s and 70s. And then names like Warhol and Basquiat. We also frequented them, but in America it was different. Everything seemed more important, the most special artists had created an aura of secrecy. The Italians were everywhere, they ran behind beautiful women, while in New York you had to enter their world to conquer them. And we did it, knowing that art would always give us a lot: Valentino elected red as his color looking at Carmen in a theater in Barcelona. I still remember when he made an entire Camouflage press collection: with a gallery of friends I managed to find a Warhol Camouflage picture of over 10 meters, and I led it to me.
In the past, he explained how not having had a sudden notoriety was useful. Would you also say it to a young man?
Having done everything “step by step” taught us the measure. Avoid excess without getting our heads, even at the apex of the career. Today I suffer the improvisation, the exaggeration, which I noticed also as a juror in schools. For the scene, they are created with them exaggerated in everything: organizing this exhibition, I understood that even in the most sensational things Valentino has never transcended. And this is what I would like to transmit to young people who approach fashion dominated by large groups, different since we started giving each other, slowly.
Are that passion and that patience still possible?
You must be well recommended. Do you think: at the beginning they did not accept us with the coveted Florentine fashion shows, because they were too young. We only in Rome. So I went to Florence by the Marquis Giorgini and managed to conquer the last parade of the last day. There was almost no one! But the rumor spread, the buyers came to the showroom of Palazzo Pitti and spent the night to make sales alone, writing the prices for everyone. The next time, Giorgini gave us the best time. Today, who helps you to walk? Who says what to do? With the Foundation we will not become an agency of young designers, but we will give many advice. With the exhibitions we will indicate new roads, stimulating courage.
Two models by Valentino Garavani from the Prét-à-Porter Autumn Winter 1977-1978 collection. © FvgServices2024 © Michele Colasuonno, 2024
Also through your workshops?
To maintain the conversation with art, for example, two great artists will show how they work, leaving their assistants who will help to paint, teaching what is not seen in “normal” schools. The Valentino Academy is still there, teaches to sew and is managed by the brand: I would like to understand how to work together to explain the fashion business, which has totally changed. Growing up so much, he also took away freedom to the creator. Always that my job with Valentino made it free, I never wanted me to understand if someone did more, or other than him. At the beginning we were not known, we had to leave these spaces. We ended up in a trendy road, in a house divided with a lady who had a lot of cats … and there Liz Taylor, Marella Agnelli and great women who had intuited as in that place, not very elegant, came, they did special things. I read the newspapers for him, I transmitted the comments not to confuse him. I have always dealt with everything so that he could simply create, without doubt. Then, we bought this building everything. Valentino never made himself subject to investors, also for this reason in 2007 we chose to leave the brand, at the best time.
Cy Twombly Untitled, 1981 Photo: © Tom Powel Imaging © Cy Twombly Foundation. , exhibited at the Roman exhibition Orizzonti | Red.
What is the beauty for you now?
A instinct that changes over time, something emotional. Like the beautiful and dramatic image of kids on the ground in front of the Bambino Gesù hospital: I was there for personal reasons in the heat of June, I saw the mothers out on those benches, the appearance room of the emergency room was too small … so the project of the foundation with which we are covering that huge courtyard with a waiting pavilion was born. Our first Life Association dedicated AIDS patients was an idea by Liz Taylor in 1990, it was already a dear friend. Very active with the Amfar (non -governmental orgnization for research on AIDS, editor’s note) led us to the community of Villa Glori: she was sitting on the ground with the sick, without fear, explaining to them what they could do. A side of Liz that is often not remembered.
Are you already thinking about the next steps?
Yes, perhaps an exhibition dedicated to cinema, to our role in that world, as a form of art. It will be important to understand how to conquer young people, more and more distracted: to talk about engaging arguments, even of the past, using their language.
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