On February 6th 2018, in the Triennale of Milan, it will take place the presentation of the book “Mario Valentino - A History of Fashion, Design and Art”.
This book traces the intense adventure of Mario Valentino, undisputed protagonist of Italian fashion from the ‘50s to the late ‘80s, through the research of invaluable reading material in the precious documentary patrimony collected in the historical files of his Company, started at the beginning of the XX century by his father Vincenzo in the heart of Naples and, then, steadily expanded.
The volume gathers the results of an enthusiastic and meticulous research performed by Ornella Cirillo – professor of History of Fashion at University of Studies “Luigi Vanvitelli” in Campania – in the historical files of Mario Valentino (1927-1991)’s Neapolitan company.
It begins with the definition of his biographical and formative profile and lingers on his articulated enterprising history, from his very first autonomous creative experiences in the footwear field to the thorough affirmation in the luxury fashion field as leader trademark, counting also on the contribution of famous stylists – like Paco Rabanne, Karl Lagerfeld, Muriel Grateau, Marie France Acquaviva, Claude Montana, Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace – and influential artists – in particular, illustrators like Brunetta, Antonio Lopez and Eula and photographs like Franco Rubartelli, Roberto Carra, Toni Meneguzzo, Richard Avedon, Robert Mappletorpe and Helmut Newton –.
On the background of the most salient moments of the history of fashion, are defined the tones of an extraordinary Italian enterprise with the ambitions, strategies and successes of his founder, until the glorious rise of an enlightened Neapolitan man who elected his true aim in the research of originality, and did all his best to pursue it.
The book will be on sale in the bookstores by the end of January 2018
The author
Ornella Cirillo is researcher at University of Studies “Luigi Vanvitelli” in Campania.
Teacher of History of Architecture and History of Fashion, devotes her research both to the culture of Architecture and the history of the city between XVIII and XIX centuries, and also to the history of fashion which engages her in particular in the definition of the role Naples and Campania had in the wide context of the “Made in Italy” phenomenon.
