The iconic Valentino logo is as stylish as the clothing it adorns. Refinement, grace, and creativity are all reflected in it, like in a crystal-clear mirror of His Majesty High Fashion. Even the sharp lines and angles do not detract from this impression because everything in the emblem is harmoniously balanced.
Valentino’s history began with Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani, born on May 11, 1932, in Voghera, Italy. In 1949, he moved to Paris, studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, then trained with Jean Dessès and Guy Laroche. In 1959, he returned to Rome and opened an atelier on Via Condotti with financial support from his father.
On July 31, 1960, Garavani met architecture student Giancarlo Giammetti at Café de Paris on Via Veneto. Giammetti handled finance and organization, while Garavani led the creative side. The Valentino company was formed in 1960. In 1962, the house made its international debut at the Sala Bianca in Florence, then a key stage for Italian fashion.
The brand became known for couture, cinematic luxury, and Rosso Valentino, a shade inspired by a red velvet dress Garavani had seen in a Barcelona opera house. In 1967, he presented the “White Collection” and introduced the V logo. In 1968, Jacqueline Kennedy wore Valentino for her wedding to Aristotle Onassis, bringing global press coverage and dozens of dress orders. Clients later included Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, and Farah Pahlavi.
Valentino opened a Paris boutique in 1969, launched perfume in 1978, and introduced Valentino Viva denim in 1979. Garavani and Giammetti sold the company to HdP in 1998, and Marzotto Apparel acquired it in 2002. After Garavani’s 2008 exit, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli launched Rockstud in 2010. Mayhoola bought Valentino in 2012, Kering acquired 30 percent in 2023, Alessandro Michele arrived in 2024, and Garavani died in Rome in January 2026.
Meaning and History
Italy is one of the world’s recognized bastions of fashion. This is facilitated by nature itself, climate, temperament, and refined creativity. In these conditions, the Valentino fashion house emerged. It was founded in 1960 and named after its founder, Valentino Garavani. In the early years, the logo used both the designer’s first and last names, but over time the brand became so recognizable that the surname was no longer needed. Fans of his mastery only needed to glance at the label bearing the expressive “V” to understand the garment’s author.
This victory sign first appeared in 1967 at the “colorless” collection show. Until then, it did not exist. Overall, the great designer pioneered the use of logos on clothing prints and in decorating hardware and accessories: the maestro placed the first letter of his name everywhere, unobtrusively.
What is Valentino?
Valentino is an Italian fashion house founded by Valentino Garavani, with support from Giancarlo Giammetti. The fashion company began operations in Rome in 1960 and debuted a personal collection in Florence in 1962. Its most grandiose show at the start of its career took place in 1967. It was called Valentino White: all the clothing was made from white, beige, and cream fabrics, distinguished by incredible spiritual purity, as it lacked the psychedelic patterns fashionable at the time.
1960 – 1979
The first characteristic of the Valentino logo is its monochrome. He chose it deliberately, as the brand’s founder followed a minimalist color palette early in his career. Not surprisingly, his early clothing collection was presented in a “no colors” style. White is the perfect background for black, so the designers made the inscriptions dark. With this color combination, the glyphs look clear and expressive, no matter the thickness.
The trade name is divided into two parts, as it includes both the first and last names of the Italian designer. The first line is the largest: the word “Valentino” is in bold, uppercase font. The letters vary in thickness, adding elegance. Some have thin serifs, while others end in sharp, needle-like tips. The inscription in the second row is less striking: it is set in a thin sans-serif and centered. Above them, the iconic “V” sign flaunts elongated serifs that form almost a complete oval. It schematically resembles an imperial crown, as the founder of the fashion brand is often called the emperor of fashion.
1979 – today
The former owner’s surname disappeared from the logo because the information was no longer relevant. The single word “Valentino” serves perfectly as the brand’s representative, as it is well known worldwide even without the specification “Garavani.” Otherwise, everything remained in its original form: the monochrome, the pointed letters, the thin serifs, and, of course, the unique element in the form of the victory sign “V.”
Font and Colors
The text in the Valentino emblem is set in Italian Didot font. Designer Bob Alonso developed it, and BA Graphics first published it. Its free alternative is Bodoni FLF by Casady & Greene. Later, a new serif typeface, NT Valentino, was created based on the original style.
The fashion house’s visual identity palette is defined by monochrome, as the designer adored single-color schemes, as seen in his collections. Black inscriptions on a white background look simple but impressive.




