February 26, 2009
Valentina - American Dream to American Couture
Most of us are familiar with the famous Italian designer, Valentino. However, few of us are familiar with a relatively obscure, but equally talented designer, Valentina Sanina Schlee (1899-1989).
When it comes to fashion design, not fashion as it relates to the masses, fashion magazines and media seem to push the familiar, the collections with mass appeal. This is a business after all. But Valentina did not buy into trends and fads. Her designs and cutting edge work led to her being regarded as a pioneer in American couture.
A Russian immigrant, her life was a true American dream story. Valentina went from an unknown, to a celebrity fashion designer due to her fashion forward designs. Her clients included Greta Garbo and Mrs. Hearst. She reminds me of another immigrant, fashion forward designer plucked from relative obscurity until she was worn by one of the most famous women in the world - Isabel Toledo.
Valentina was a designer beyond her time, and stylistically, cared very little for trends. Much like Dame Vivienne Westwood, Valentina exclaimed, "I hate fashion!".
It's a shame that the fashion business thrives on pumping trends rather than form, art, quality and design. If Valentina Sanina Schlee were alive today, there is no doubt fashion bloggers would be typing their fingers to the bone about her fashion forward designs.
Check out Market Publique's blog post about this amazing and fascinating designer.
Valentina's work will be on display in an exhibit at the Museum of the City in New York titled, Valentina: American Couture and the Cult of Celebrity, February 14 through May 17.
In the meantime, check out this fantastic video featuring the author of the book by the same title, Kohle Yohannan
Posted by Sandra at February 26, 2009 12:00 AM
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Comments (6)
Beautiful. Love her! I've known a lot of dancers that have a distinctive sense style and design, so it doesn't surprise me that she was first a classical dancer.
Posted on February 26, 2009 09:05
Wonderful post! I just heard the tail end of a story about her on NPR and wanted to know more. One of those serendipitous moments to discover your wonderful blog!
Posted on March 1, 2009 08:53
Thank you for making me discover Valentina Schlee. That is style !
Posted on March 2, 2009 10:19
Excellent post about Valentina! It's so true that in a lot of ways she's like Westwood...
And thanks for the shout out :)
Posted on March 9, 2009 12:15
I just wanted to post a comment abouthow beautiful this book is and how wonderfull the choice of imagery is.
Posted on April 15, 2009 08:05
I am looking for a Russian clothing designer who had a small store on NYC's upper west side in the early 1980s. The boutique was robbed within a year of opening and he lost everything. I have two pieces of his that are amazing to this day. his name is Vladimir Chopinov and his line was called Post Constructivism. If anyone knows of him, could you let me know? thanks much, --C
Posted on November 22, 2009 08:28