Valentino: The Last Emperor

A few weeks ago, I spontaneously decided to see this documentary about Valentino. It was it's first weekend in Chicago, and the turn out was very good. With that said, we huddled into the front of the theater to watch the film. To our great surprise, the director came out to introduce his film! Matt Tyrnauer, a journalist from New York (Vanity Fair) had spent two years with a camera crew following the legendary designer while capturing every tantrum, tear, beautiful gown etc...

The movie itself was made for people like me. It glorified fashion. It made it important. So often, people put people in the fashion industry at the top of the pyramid but fail to give them respect because what they do isn't "important." Even the most fashion challenged person out there as a favorite pair of shoes, or a dress that makes them feel good. You breathe it and don't even know it.

I knew the movie would make me cry, because it's all about the end of The Fashion House's classic empire. For the last 45 years Valentino has been the ultimate designer: untouched and ranked as the best. Now he's retired, and the fashion industry will never be the same. Who knows if that's necessarily bad. It could just mean that the fashion market is evolving once again.

One thing you'll notice is that he adores women. Everything about a woman: From head to toe. He appreciates beauty and most importantly respects it. If all straight men could move past the "hot" adjective and learn to describe a beautiful woman as a gay man does, than I'm sure they'd have better luck with a certain kind of lady. I see that quality, celebrating and empowering women, in a few designers today: Zac Posen and Marc Jacobs especially.

What do women want? "They want to be beautiful."

Long Live Valentino!