When Valentino Garavani waved goodbye from his spring 2008 couture runway in Paris, the fashion industry parted ways with a legend 45 years in the making. Valentino had used his signature look – feminine, sexy, lots of red – to dress up everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Jennifer Garner. Remember Julia Roberts’ Oscar dress from 2001? Him. Jackie O’s wedding dress? Ditto.


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Samsung is honouring the style legend at a special exhibition at The Hospital Club this 14 to 19 September. The Red Thread: The Inspiration and Passion of Valentino Garavani will feature a selection of the designer’s original couture gowns and sketches, along with exclusive footage from his upcoming documentary, Valentino: The Last Emperor.

To bring in the technology element (it is Samsung and all), footage detailing his design process and runway shows will play on the latest HDTVs and full HD camcorders. The exhibition coincides with London Fashion Week and closes from 4 pm on 17 September for an industry showing.

One of Valentino’s dedicated clients, Gwyneth Paltrow, has said the designer would have ‘told her off’ had she shown up before him without professionally blow-dried hair. So do that hair, put on something pretty and see how a fashion genius’ mind works.

– Jill Hilbrenner