Giambattista Valli
About
Giambattista is a French Designer, not an Italian. Although he was born and raised in Italy.
He was born in Rome, in the city where he grew up. He obtained his education from one of Rome's Vatican schools, during a conservative childhood. On his office mantelpiece are photographs of Penelope Cruz, Queen Rania, and one of him as a youth taken with Pope John Paul I. In the picture Valli is wearing turquoise shorts. Viewing a black and white TV at the age of five, he recalls drawing Italian TV presenters in color, attempting to guess the colors of their clothes.
By the time he was in art school he sketched copies of drawings made by Yves Saint Laurent. He began to comprehend how a silhouette gave a designer a certain identity. He got his first job in fashion working with Cecilia Fanfani planning couture shows in Rome. A job in public relations with Roberto Capucci led to a promotion to the design staff.
The Look
Among his early designs was a tiny yellow dress composed of fluffy layers of lace and an ivory one covered in pale rosettes. His more realistic creations included a beige shirtdress with black brushstrokes at the hem and a blouse with arm openings which expanded to the waist. The latter garment was tucked into tailored gray shorts.