Guest guest Posted December 2, 2004 Report Share Posted December 2, 2004 In Asiatic Society, Dec 5: Valentino, Italy's top designer "Though he claims to not follow Indian fashion or other designers, Valentino says India should not fall prey to a global Euro-centric fashion, like Japan and China have. ``I consider the sari deeply elegant—it is one of the most grounding elements of what haute couture is all about,'' he adds. ``In India, modernity and tradition can find a fine balance without erasing a unique heritage. Homogeneity is never a good thing.'' NAMRATA SHARMA ZAKARIA Posted online: Friday, December 03, 2004 at 0454 hours IST December 2: There isn't a lady of luxury anywhere in the world whose wish-list doesn't comprise an evening gown by him. Couturier Valentino Garavani is Italy's most famous designer, his popularity rivalled only by the Pope. And for this year's Festa Italiana, the annual cultural festival put together by the Indo- Italian Chamber of Commerce, Valentino is sending down his latest fashion collection (including his favourite red dresses). Valentino's show will be staged at the beautiful environs of the 200- year-old Asiatic Society in Mumbai, on December 5, and at New Delhi's Purana Qila on December 8. ``I love India and have been there many times, but this time I had previous commitments I could not possibly postpone,'' says the 72- year-old designer in an exclusive email interview. ``A catwalk show is the most powerful and emotionally involving way of presenting my work.'' The maker of elegant and glamourous clothes is quite the traditionalist. ``India's heritage is one of the most fascinating and inspirational of all,'' he says. ``My 2002 haute couture collection was entirely inspired by India. But there have always been Indian themes running through all my collections. It's definitely a reference for my idea of beauty and grace.'' Though he claims to not follow Indian fashion or other designers, Valentino says India should not fall prey to a global Euro-centric fashion, like Japan and China have. ``I consider the sari deeply elegant—it is one of the most grounding elements of what haute couture is all about,'' he adds. ``In India, modernity and tradition can find a fine balance without erasing a unique heritage. Homogeneity is never a good thing.'' His 1962 collection, shown in Florence, made him famous. These were also the years of the dolce vita (a time of affluence and decadence) in Italy, when many Hollywood stars and films came to Italy and discovered the couturier. Valentino now boasts of dressing several celebrity A-listers (like Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy—her gown for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis), and counts Gwyneth Paltrow among his closest friends. ``My friendship with her is tactful, exciting and respectful, as any friendship should be.'' In a recent interview to Vanity Fair magazine, Valentino said that his success was attributed to his sole concern of making beautiful clothes. ``Forget fashion—the messy grunge look. I cannot see women destroyed, uncombed or strange,'' he had said. ``I design to fulfill the natural desire of women who want to look beautiful, never for one who follows abstract concepts,'' he tells us. ``For me elegance is the balance between proportion, emotion and surprise.'' namratasharma http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php? newsid=39139&headline=I'm~inspired~by~India's~heritage,~fashion~icon: ~Italy's~top~designer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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