The ruling fashion king of Rome

Valentino's creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, has won many fans with his romantic confections. But he still has time to tame divas and give recognition to his staff.

Valentino, Haute Couture, Paris Fashion Week 2019.

Marion HumeFashion Writer

Aug 30, 2019 – 12.00am

Email LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Subscribe now

Already a subscriber?

What the world needs now is love, sweet love and Pierpaolo Piccioli is proving just the man to deliver it. Season after season, the ravishingly romantic confections he creates for the House of Valentino have the fashion pack in such a swoon they are running out of superlatives. When it comes to Hollywood, serious actors who usually wear black and a scowl on the red carpet (cue Frances McDormand) suddenly show up in his capricious colour clashes and look like they are enjoying themselves.

As for clients at their most demanding, many a couturier can whip up a wedding dress for an ingenue, yet this 52-year-old married father of three is also the go-to guy for second-time-around brides (many congratulations, Gwyneth Paltrow.) And second-time-around brides can be very hard to please.

Email LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Subscribe now

Already a subscriber?

License article

Introducing your Newsfeed

Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.

Find out more

Marion HumeFashion WriterMarion Hume is an international fashion writer. She has been covering the fashion industry for more than three decades. She is based in London.