Very Valentino.

Yesterday evening after a very informative media preview headed up by Barbara Atkin, Holt Renfrew's VP of Fashion Direction, I tottered down to see a preview of the documentary Valentino, The Last Emperor with Miss Mau and Reebs.

Lucky ducky for us, the director Matt Tyrnauer -- formerly a writer for Vanity Fair magazine and a very, very witty man indeed (perfect deadpan comic delivery) -- was in town to introduce the movie and to indulge us in a Q&A post-flick.

The film is fantastic because it showcases the more than four decade-long relationship between the perpetually tanned designer and his partner, Giancarlo Giametti. It also showcases the ostentatiousness of their lives, which is literally a bubble of riches, royalty, yachts, a quintet of pugs and generally a lot of excess.

And it's all absolutely fascinating.

Tyrnauer had interesting things to say through the natural unfolding of the film itself and during the Q&A as well, and they went as follows:


1. Valentino is the most difficult man to work with. Ever.

2. Valentino has no concept of money or business. That is Giancarlo's job (and formerly Matteo Marzotto).

3. Valentino gets mad if called fat.

4. Valentino loves his five pugs to death.

5. Valentino is the most un-intellectual man Tyrnauer has ever met. No, he actually said this during the Q&A. Valentino apparently only thinks in dresses, ruffles and riches.

6. Valentino and Giancarlo hated the movie. At first. Until it was received with such popularity, at which time they loved it.

7. Despite all of the above, Tyrnauer grew to respect Valentino at the very end of it all.


On a side note, I have to admit: I developed me a little crush on Matt Tyrnauer!







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