The legendary fashion designer and master couturier founded his eponymous fashion house in Rome in the late 1950s with his long-time business partner Giancarlo Giammetti. And has since established an illustrious career often associated with his signature colour, “Valentino Red”. In 1998, they sold the company, though Valentino continued as creative director. Shortly after his retirement in 2008, a feature-length documentary “Valentino: The Last Emperor” was released. In late 2011, Valentino and Giammetti launched the Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum, a website and downloadable desktop application that makes Valentino’s archive available to be studied and experienced online. Thereafter, Valentino designed costumes for the New York City Ballet and the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome for “La Traviata” co-created with Giammetti.

A Gstaad habitué, you first visited in the 1970s. I remember the photographs of you in the Eagle Club's golden anniversary album. What are your most fond memories?
Established in 1957, the Eagle is still the place to be. I remember so many memorable lunches on the terrace chatting with incredible stars, from Audrey Hepburn to more recently Anne Hathaway. The Eagle is definitely the best ski-resort in the world!

What attracted you to your chalet?
Without doubt the location, which is incredible with its fantastic views of the Alps. And also, the size, which was just perfect for my lifestyle. I always love throwing parties and the way I designed the interiors of the chalet enables me to surround myself with many guests while preserving my privacy.

What is your favourite season in this region?
Gstaad is beautiful in every season, but I love it especially in winter. New Year’s Eve has always been my favourite. I used to host legendary parties in my chalet.

You were educated in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.
Those years have been absolutely crucial in shaping my career. In these two institutions, I had the chance to cultivate my love for art, fashion and beauty. Creating some form of beauty has always been central to my life: from the dresses I designed to the houses I decorated. Beauty always reigns in my kingdom! Spending my formative years in Paris cemented this.

1990 marked the opening of the Accademia Valentino in Rome. What is it and how has it evolved?
It was created as a unique cultural space to house different types of artistic and charity projects. Therein we hosted a range of outstanding art exhibitions, including Balthus and another on the Da Vinci Code. At the same time, we installed the retrospective celebrating my 30 years in fashion. This year, it will become the permanent home of the Valentino Garavani Foundation.

Similarly, your virtual museum valentinogaravanimuseum.com is a treasure trove.
A truly pioneering project, conceived by Giancarlo Giammetti who had the intuition of giving access to our creations and to key materials of our archives to the widest range of people possible.

We worked with the 3D technology; and I think we really broke new ground in the industry. I’m very proud of what Giancarlo achieved with this project. Once again, he demonstrated to the world to be a true visionary.

Do you have a favourite period in the decorative arts and architecture?
A minimalist I am not! I think that the 17th-century style beautifully portrayed in my Château de Wideville outside Paris is truly sublime. I love the opulence and vibrant, joyous sense of beauty.

Like you, I adore Les Lalannes, and wrote about them in this publication.
I’m really in love with the work of the late French artists – husband and wife – François-Xavier (1927- 2008) and Claude Lalanne (1924- 2019). I cannot agree more with one of his most famous quotes: "the supreme art, is the art of living". I own a great deal of their artwork. For example, the entrance of my chalet here in Gstaad (pictured opposite and above) is populated by their famous sheep sculptures.

Your love of pugs is legendary, unsurpassed even by the late Duke and Duchess of Windsor. As the French say, jamais deux sans trois: I now am left with only three.

BY ALAN NAZAR IPEKIAN