Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli is an Italian fashion designer. He is from Rome, Italy. His collections, both ready to wear and Haute couture, are presented semi-annually during Paris Fashion Week.

Early life
Born and raised in Rome, Giambattista Valli completed studies at a liceo (an Italian secondary school) and then earned a degree in art. In 1987 he began a foundation course in illustration at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.

Early career
After stints at Roberto Capucci (1986–1990), Fendi (1990–1995) and Krizia (1995–1996), Valli moved to Paris and worked as Creative Director for Emanuel Ungaro from 1998 to 2004. Ungaro credited Valli with revitalizing the house, and named him as his successor when he retired in 2004. Shortly after, the Ferragamo family, which owned Ungaro, dismissed him during an internal struggle.

Giambattista Valli
Valli launched his eponymous brand in 2005, heralding his first ready-to-wear show in Paris where he had moved from Italy. Giambattista Valli shows both ready-to-wear and haute couture collections semiannually in Paris. Valli is one of the few non-French designers granted membership into the historic Chambre Syndicate de la Haute Couture. He showed his first Couture collection in July 2011.

In 2009, Mariella Burani Fashion Group signed a five-year contract to make and distribute the ready-to-wear collection of Giambattista Valli. By 2012, Giambattista Valli's ready-to-wear, couture and collaborations generated an estimated $80 million in sales annually. With the expiration of a contract with Italian fur-maker Ciwifurs for the brand’s own fur coats and jackets, Giambattista Valli brought all production and distribution in-house in 2017.

The brand is owned by Giambattista Valli, with a minority shareholding by Groupe Artémis since 2017. Its headquarters are located in a historic building on Rue Boissy d'Anglas, designed by Luigi Scialanga, which also houses the brand's main store. The brand has flagship stores in Paris, London, Milan, Saint Tropez, Doha, Seoul and Beijing, and the brand's international distribution includes more than 245 selling points. Since 2005, the brand has collaborated with MAC Cosmetics.

Other brands
In 2014, Giambattista Valli launched Giamba, a new, younger sister ready-to-wear line, with a runway show in Milan.

In late 2014, Giambattista Valli designed a spring collection for 7 for All Mankind.

From 2008 to 2017, Giambattista Valli was Creative Director of Moncler Gamme Rouge, reimagining refined activewear design for the brand, including a focus on women’s puffer jackets. Immediately after, the Giambattista Valli brand launched their 2017 activewear capsule collection, including coats, puffer jackets, sweatshirts and track suits.

In 2019, Giambattista Valli released a capsule collection for men and women with H&M, his first foray into designing menswear.

Recognition
Giambattista Valli is the recipient of a Star Honoree Award from Fashion Group International in 2011 in New York and Best Designer of the Year Awards from Elle China in 2013 and from Marie Claire Spain in 2015.

Clients
Giambattista Valli designs have been worn by actresses, models, and royalty including Sarah Jessica Parker, Sonam Kapoor, Hilary Swank, Demi Moore, Ariana Grande, Penélope Cruz, Jessica Biel, Reese Witherspoon, Naomi Campbell, Mary Kate Olsen, Doutzen Kroes, Iman, Queen Rania of Jordan, Sofia Carson Jelena Karleuša, Clotilde Courau Amal Clooney, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Gwyneth Paltrow. In 2019, he designed Charlotte Casiraghi's wedding dress.