INTRODUCTION

THE LOCATIONS

THE EXHIBITION

THE SHOW

THE BOOK

A BIOGRAPHY OF VALENTINO

PROFILE OF VALENTINO S.P .A .

THE PROGRAMME

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

INTRODUCTION

“I wish to thank the Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, the Minister for Culture, Francesco Rutelli, and theCity of Rome for the hospitality they gave us in order to celebrate here our 45 years of activity”, Valentinodeclared. “We have the privilege of being in these days in the company of our guests, of our friends andof all the Romans, in some of the most beautiful historical sites not only of the city but of the wholeworld. Sites such as Ara Pacis, the Temple of Venus and the Parco dei Daini in Villa Borghese. A privi-lege that makes me extremely happy, in the only city where I feel truly at home, where I founded my ate-lier and where I continue to work with my closest collaborators. A city where I take pride in feeling Ibelong and that once again I can show to the world in all of its beauty”.

The maison Valentino will celebrate its 45 years of life in Rome, on the 6th, 7th and 8th of July, with theHigh Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic.

Three days of events will exalt, with the charm of Italian Haute Couture, of which Valentino is the mostimportant representative in the world, the splendour of Rome and the work of the only couturier thatfor so long has been the soul and the creative force of the company that bears his name.

Backdrop to these events, some of the most important historical buildings and cultural institutions ofthe capital, thanks to the Ministry for Culture and to the City of Rome.

On the 6th of July, under the High Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic and in the presence ofthe Mayor of Rome and of high offices of the State and of the Municipality, an exceptional retrospectivededicated to Valentino and his world will be inaugurated.

On the 7th, for the first time in 17 years, Valentino presents in Rome, and not in Paris as usual, his newHaute Couture collection, holding a show for 1.000 guests.

The cultural and mundane events will see the participation of Valentino’s friends, celebrities, opinionleaders and the most highly qualified world press, putting Rome, once again, at the centre of the inter-national fashion and glamour world.

THE LOCATIONS

For the celebrations of the 45 years of his maison, the Municipality of Rome and the Ministry for Culture– thanks to the generosity of Mayor Walter Veltroni and of Minister Francesco Rutelli – have givenValentino the opportunity to choose the locations for his events and his parties.Valentino chose four - the Museum of Ara Pacis, the Temple of Venus, the Monumental Complex of theSanto Spirito in Sassia, and the Parco dei Daini of Villa Borghese - for their artistic and historical value, andfor the symbolic value by which each of them refers to different aspects of his creations and of his world.

The Museum of Ara Pacis: Classicism and ModernityThe venue of the exhibit “Valentino a Roma: 45 Years of Style”, recently renovated and extended byRichard Meier, one of the greatest contemporary architects, the Museum of Ara Pacis is both an invita-tion to peace among people and a symbol of the new vocation of Rome to look at the future, conjugatingmodernity and tradition, a sense of times past and of times to come. A spectacular symbol exalted by the staging of the exhibit designed by Patrick Kinmonth and AntonioMonfreda, who have found in the dialogue between classicism and extreme contemporaneity the sense ofthe relationship between the museum and the spirit that for 45 years has permeated Valentino’s creations.

The Temple of Venus: the Present and TraditionThe Temple of Venus, where the party after the inauguration of the retrospective will be held, is one ofthe most impressive and best preserved treasures of Rome.In front of the Colosseum, it rises upon an artificial terrace in the same spot where there once was theatrium of Domus Aurea; it has lost over the years a considerable part of its original characteristics,which in this occasion Valentino wants to restore to the sight and experience of Rome and of theRomans, and of the guests that will be in Rome to celebrate him, rebuilding the image of the Temple ofVenus as it was, with its grandiose colonnade.The staging is by Dante Ferretti, one of the most important scenographers of the world. Author of thesets of unforgettable movies directed by, among others, Fellini, Pasolini, Scorsese, between Hollywoodand Cinecittà, Ferretti has created for the Temple a setting that is both technological and neoclassical:a set that becomes show in and of itself. Another way to underline the strong relationship between clas-sicism and the future, and between Valentino and Rome, which is at the heart of the life and the profes-sional activity of the couturier. The evening will be enlivened by an aerial-dance show conceived byValerio Festi, which will come to life with the backdrop of the striking scenography of the Colosseum andof the ruins of Fori Imperiali that surround the Temple of Venus.

The Monumental Complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia: the Atelier and the CityValentino will present his new Haute Couture collection in the Baglivi and Incisa halls of theMonumental Complex of the Santo Spirito in Sassia, the oldest charitable institution of Rome.

Surrounded by a long series of photographs representing the history and the work of Valentino, a vir-tual projection of his atelier on the walls of the building, the setting of the show talks about the contextof his studio, where his work has come and comes to life.

The Parco dei Daini: Neoclassicism and Faraway CountriesAfter the show in Santo Spirito, Valentino will receive his guests for a gala dance in the Parco dei Dainiof Villa Borghese, a masterpiece of Italian garden architecture – one of Valentino’s passions – that in theorientalist charm of the staging refers to the couturier’s taste for exotic details, to his love for farawaycountries and for the traditional cultures that he explored, also through imaginary travels, constantlybringing them into his work.Exceptionally, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a nocturnal visit of Galleria Borghese, escortedby guides, discovering not only the unmatched masterpieces of the museum, but also the sources ofclassical and neoclassical imagery that have always inspired Valentino’s work.

THE EXHIBITION

With an exhibit of approximately 300 dresses and rare archival materials, “Valentino a Roma: 45 Yearsof Style” is the great retrospective that celebrates the 45 years of creativity of Valentino through a spec-tacular staging at the Museum of Ara Pacis.A perfect synthesis of classicism and modernity, the Museum, recently renovated and extended by the architectRichard Meier, is the ideal place to host the work of the couturier who, more than anyone else, puts together anageless ideal of beauty with the shapes that such an ideal takes on with the changing of seasons and of fashion.Created by Patrick Kinmonth and Antonio Monfreda, the exhibit develops inside and around the Ara Pacis –the altar that is among the most significant evidences of art in the age of Augustus, symbol of peace and pro-sperity – and it creates an exact chronological perspective, visible to passers-by also on the outside of theMuseum, in order to emphasize the relationship that connects Valentino to Rome, and Rome to Valentino.Following the structure of the Museum, the exhibit “Valentino a Roma: 45 Years of Style” is also dividedin two: on the second floor it shows the chronological evolution and some of the most significant crea-tions of Valentino, in an installation that has them cohabit and converse with the sacred presence of thealtar and with the modernity of Meier’s architecture.In the rooms of the first floor, instead, the history of the maison is shown through its archive andthrough the dresses that many famous women have worn for the most important occasions, makingValentino the most iconic couturier.On the second floor, in the rooms that lead to the altar, a selection of dresses only in white, black andred, reveals their graphic perfection, exalted by the backdrop of the contemporary spaces and by thedelicate colours of the Museum.Still on the second floor, though along the perimeter of the building – therefore detached from the“action” that takes place in the inside of the Museum – a retrospective retraces chronologically, with aminimum of one dress for each year, Valentino’s work and the different stages of his evolution.At the entrance, a closed and mysterious space: a cavern of marvels where golden mannequins stand outand float along the walls, clad in spectacular dresses to lead us inside the magical world of Valentino.On the first floor, using a completely different expository language, a selection of dresses worn by cele-brities, along with videos, drawings, accessories, are evidence of the creative process, of the workingmethod and of the universe of Valentino.The exhibit’s catalogue, published by Taschen, includes an accurate philological analysis of dresses and of theitems being shown, in addition to critical texts written specifically for this occasion by the curators, by the Mayorof Rome Walter Veltroni, and by some of the most important personalities in journalism and fashion criticism.

TECHNICAL DETAILSValentino a Roma: 45 Years of StyleMuseum of Ara Pacis - Lungotevere in Augusta – RomeFrom July 6th to October 28th, 2007www.arapacis.it

THE SHOW

At 5pm on July 7th, for the first time in 17 years, Valentino will present in Rome his new Haute Couturecollection. For the occasion, the catwalk show will have an extraordinary setting: the Incisa and Baglivi halls of themonumental complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia, magnified by a staging of both classical and technolo-gical inspiration which exalts the extraordinary workmanship of the dresses that for 45 years womenaround the world have learnt to love and desire.Over 1,000 people will attend the event, including government and city officials, friends, celebrities,clients and leading figures from the international press.

THE BOOK

‘A Great Italian Story’ is the title of the monographic book published by Taschen, the prominent art,design and photography publishing house.This wonderful ‘giant book’ measuring 33 x 44 cm – in itself an extremely modern design object – payshomage to Valentino’s career. It contains a rich selection of images from his archives: drawings, adverts,photographic reportages from magazines, portraits and photographs of Valentino’s life and work, pre-sented in chronological order and accompanied by a selection of articles about him taken from periodi-cals from all over the world.Contributors to the volume, edited by Armando Chitolina, include some of the most well-known perso-nalities of the world of fashion, style and creativity: Graydon Carter, Jacqueline de Ribes, Farah Diba,Rupert Everett, John Fairchild, Patrick McCarthy, Ingrid Sischy, Franca Sozzani and Anna Wintour.Matt Tyrnauer, the special correspondent for Vanity Fair America, has curated the main text of the volu-me: an in-depth portrait of the designer, composed also through the testimony of friends and collabo-rators. Suzy Menkes, the highly-respected fashion critic of the International Herald Tribune, has writ-ten the introduction.

TECHNICAL DETAILSA Great Italian StoryChitolina, Armando (edited by) / Tyrnauer, Matt / Menkes, SuzyHard cover + Box, 33 x 44 cm, 736 pagesISBN 978-3-8228-4844-9July 2007In French, English, Italian and Germanwww.taschen.com

A BIOGRAPHY OF VALENTINO

Valentino is one of the most important and innovative designers in the world of fashion. From his unfor-gettable catwalk show at Palazzo Pitti in 1962 to the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on him bythe Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2000, to the French Legion d’ Honneur awarded to himby the President of the French Republic in 2005, his 45 years of creative and entrepreneurial accompli-shments encapsulate the essence of the Made in Italy label, making his name an international synonymfor elegance and imagination, modernity and everlasting beauty.

Valentino was still a teenager when he left his hometown of Voghera, where he was born in 1932, forParis, having already the intention of turning fashion into his career and life. In what was then the realcapital of culture and unrivalled Haute Couture, he worked for a number of years alongside Jean Dessèsand then Guy Laroche, developing and refining his taste and a clear precocious talent.

In the early 1960s, when he thought his training period in Paris had come to an end, he moved to Rometo set up his first atelier. Here he met Giancarlo Giammetti, a young architecture student, who wouldshare his aspirations and ideas and would become his business partner. From then onwards, Giammettiassumed the responsibility of all strategic and business-related aspects of the house, thus contributingto the realisation of one of the most important and solid partnerships of the history of fashion.

Those were the days of ‘la Dolce Vita’, with Hollywood stars in Rome making the films that would markthe history of that era. Word began to spread about a brilliant new creator of fashion; the rise ofValentino began. By the mid-1960s he was already considered the undisputed maestro of ItalianCouture, receiving in 1967 the Neiman Marcus Award, the equivalent of an Oscar in the field of fashion.The Begum Aga Khan, Farah Diba, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Marella Agnelli andPrincess Margaret were already customers as well as personal friends.

For his famous 1968 ‘white collection’, Valentino used for the first time the monogram of the house asa distinguishing decorative feature, indeed inventing what would then turn into ‘logomania’. The ‘V’ logoappeared on fabrics and accessories, forming buckles on bags and belts. It was the first in a string ofstrategic ideas that would change the history of ready-to-wear.

During the 1970s and 1980s Valentino was the first Italian designer to launch Ready-to-Wear collectionsfor men and women; to open boutiques in Rome and Milan, in the United States and the Far East; todraw up licensing agreements for the worldwide distribution of his creations; and to devise advertisingcampaigns with the collaboration of new innovative and talented photographers. This gained him anincreasing number of successes and awards, including the title of “Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine alMerito” which he received by the President of the Italian Republic Sandro Pertini and “Cavaliere di Gran

Croce” which he received by the President of the Italian Republic Francesco Cossiga.

These years saw the confirmation of his success: the most famous women of the world and membersof the aristocracy wore his designs on red carpets and to the most exclusive and photographed partiesand wedding ceremonies. And Valentino became the glamour designer par excellence. His advertisingcampaigns, with their perfect castings, devised and realised by young talents destined to become verysuccessful, were an expression of unparalleled aesthetics. Valentino became synonym for Italianfashion at its most sophisticated.

In 1982 the Metropolitan Museum of New York opened its doors to fashion for the first time, hosting aValentino catwalk show. In the same year, Franco Maria Ricci published a lavish monographic bookabout him, which would be the first of a long series to be dedicated to him.

In February 1990, Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti founded the charity L.I.F.E. under the patronage ofElizabeth Taylor, to help children affected by HIV-related illnesses.

The first thirty years of his career were celebrated in 1991 with a succession of prestigious events.‘Valentino. Thirty years of magic’ was both the title of a monographic book and an exhibition held atPalazzo Mignanelli, the maison’s headquarters, displaying over 300 of his garments. The Italian statetelevision broadcaster RAI screened a full-length film about Valentino’s world and life, while anotherexhibition brought together a collection of works by some of fashion’s leading photographers and illu-strators, all inspired by Valentino’s creations. Elizabeth Taylor, Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista andMarisa Berenson were amongst the friends who celebrated with him at a gala with over 400 guests.

The following year, ‘Valentino: Thirty years of magic’ was shown in New York, representing Italy in theceremonies marking the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. In its opening two weeks, theexhibition was seen by more than 70,000 visitors. Proceeds from the show were donated to the New YorkHospital to finance the building of a new wing for its AIDS Care Centre.

Valentino chose to celebrate his fashion house’s 40th anniversary in Los Angeles. The party, again in aidof charity (collecting funds for the Child Priority foundation), was organised in collaboration with StevenSpielberg, Kate Capshaw, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. The evening was also the occasion for the pre-sentation of Il libro rosso di Valentino (‘Valentino’s red book’), edited by Franca Sozzani, containing pic-tures of 40 contemporary iconic women (including Ashley Judd, Gisele, Ines Sastre, Isabella Rossellini,Kate Moss, Liz Hurley, Milla Jovovich and Naomi Campbell), all dressed in Valentino Red and photogra-phed by top fashion photographers.

In 2001 Julia Roberts received her Academy Award wearing a ‘vintage’ Valentino gown, and was seen to

shine on all television screens, magazines and newspapers of the world, contributing to the launch ofwhat would become one of the most significant fashion trends of recent years: Vintage.

In 2002 Valentino represented Italy, and the country’s traditional ability to elevate creativity and craft-smanship to the highest levels with taste and supreme elegance, during the closing ceremony of the2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, broadcast worldwide on February 24th.

In the same year the Valentino brand was acquired by the Marzotto Group, one of the oldest and mosthighly regarded textile and clothing manufacturers in the world. Valentino has maintained the role ofdesigner and creative director of all lines.

In 2006 Valentino accepted the invitation of his friend Meryl Streep and played himself in a short cameorole in the widely discussed film The Devil Wears Prada, one of the most popular and successful pictu-res of the season.

Valentino’s 45 years of work represent a unique phenomenon in the history of fashion. Indeed, no greatdesigner has ever reached this target remaining for so long the creative soul and force of the companythat carries his name.

PROFILE OF VALENTINO S.P .A .

Valentino S.p.A. operates in the highest sector of the luxury market, offering products in the HauteCouture and Ready-to-Wear segments. It is the first company to have taken a big name of Italian fashionto the stock market, thus granting Valentino a new important entrepreneurial record.

Today Valentino is present in 69 countries with more than 1,250 outlets, 58 of which are directly mana-ged and which make up more than 40% of the retail turnover. This goes hand in hand with the openingof new stores in important international markets, such as Barcelona, Boston, Hong Kong andSingapore, which have registered double-digit rates of sales growth.In 2006 proceeds have reached 239.5 million Euros, an increase of 14.5% compared to 2005.

THE COLLECTIONSValentino includes the Haute Couture women’s collection and the women’s and men’s Ready-to-Wear lines.The Haute Couture collection represents the highest level of the range and in the last year it has regi-stered a sales growth of 25%.The Ready-to-Wear collection, which is located in the highest sector of the relative segment, is tailoredto sophisticated and cosmopolitan female customers and it is found only in the most exclusive places ofthe world’s main cities.The men’s collections include Valentino Black Label and Valentino White Label, characterised by anunmistakeable style and by the top quality of the materials and craftsmanship.

Valentino Garavani is the label of bags, shoes, small leatherwear, belts and bijoux, for men and women.This is a line that invites the customer to sophisticated and inventive combinations, extending theimpeccable elegance of the garments.

Valentino Roma is a line that balances glamour and everyday, best interpreting women’s modern life.This is a Ready-to-Wear project which is accessible and widely distributed, synthesising classic trends ofthe house and casual styles, with a practical and technical vein which makes it perfectly suited to city life.

LICENCESThrough the considered policy of redistribution of licences put in place in recent years, today ValentinoS.p.A. controls a number of Valentino-labelled collections produced and distributed by licensee compa-nies which are amongst the world’s most prestigious businesses.

The licensed collections include the young line R.E.D. Valentino, as well as perfumes, eyewear, watches,ties and scarves, and bridal gowns.

Born in 2003 from a collaboration between Valentino S.p.A. and Sinv S.p.A., R.E.D. Valentino is a clothesline featuring modern classics that can be combined in absolute freedom.

Since 2003 the Valentino fragrances are produced and distributed by Procter & Gamble and include:Valentino V; Valentino V Absolu; V pour Homme; Very Valentino Femme; Very Valentino Homme;Valentino Gold; Valentino Rock‘n’Rose.

Since 1997, Safilo has produced the elegant Valentino Eyewear sunglasses and frames.

The first Valentino Timeless watches collection, produced by Timex thanks to a licence agreementsigned in 2007, will be presented in April 2008.

Ties and scarves have been produced and distributed by Ratti since 1992.

Since 2005, bridal gowns have been produced and distributed by the Spanish brand Pronovias, a leadingcompany in the world market.

THE PROGRAMME

FRIDAY JULY 6TH The first day is devoted to the Retrospective Exhibition:

11.00am Ara Pacis Museum – Italian Press Conference12.30pm Ara Pacis Museum – Opening of the Exhibition for the Authorities3.30pm Ara Pacis Museum – Foreign Press Conference5.30pm Ara Pacis Museum – Opening of the Exhibition for Italian Guests7.30pm Ara Pacis Museum – Opening of the Exhibition for Foreign Guests

(with a setting designed by Patrick Kinmonth and Antonio Monfreda)9.30pm Temple of Venus – Dinner for Foreign Guests (with a setting designed by Dante Ferretti

and the show “La nascita della Bellezza” choreographed by Valerio Festi)

SATURDAY JULY 7TH The second day is devoted to the Haute Couture show and to the ball in the Parco dei Daini of VillaBorghese:

5.00pm Monumental complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia – Autumn/Winter 2007-2008 Haute Couture show9.30pm Parco dei Daini of Villa Borghese – Dinner and Ball (with a setting designed by Dante Ferretti)

SUNDAY JULY 8TH Launch of the new Valentino perfume: Rock’n’Rose Couture:

12:30am Ara Pacis Museum – Press Conference for the Launch of the new Rock‘n’Rose Couture perfume

PRESS CONTACTS

NOONA SMITH-PETERSEN - Tel. (+39) 02 3653 7328 - noona@smith-petersen.com

BEATRICE PIOVELLA - Tel. (+39) 02 6249 2511 - beatrice.piovella@valentino.it

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