The 26th issue is the Vietnamese-American designer’s most intimate project to date, inviting readers to explore the idea of home and understand the internal narratives of the shy designer.

N°20
Words by Mariacarla Boscono
Valentino Haute Couture photographed by Paolo di Paolo, 1967
This article originally appeared in A Magazine N°20 Curated By Pierpaolo Piccioli, December 2019.
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I call him Mr. Valentino – I’ve always called him that. For me, he’s one of the biggest couture designers. He’s the real deal.
We’ve known each other for really long, since I was 14 and started doing his fittings in Rome. I remember he once said to me, ‘Oh, Mariacarla. You look like a hanger.’ I was like, ‘Excuse me, Monsieur!’ And he was like, ‘In a good way of course. Whatever I put on you, it looks fabulous!’
I had never dreamt to do the catwalks in Paris, but I became quite successful quite quick. Back then, the show seasons were much more difficult – I think I did 77 shows one season. Of course, Paris was my biggest town to work in. So, when I’d arrive on set, I was always super late.
Mr. Valentino always wanted the full make-up and hair when he fitted the girls, and I always complained about it because I didn’t have time! It was a little bit like: ‘Oh, she’s coming…’, but always in a funny way. Mr. Valentino adored me so much that he would put up with my big personality; even at that young age, I was loud and never shut my mouth. So, I’d arrive and straight away go to kiss him. He’d show me the clothes, which were absolutely a dream. We’d just laugh and put on music.
At the time, he had six carlini, pugs, the breed of dog he is obsessed with. As soon as I arrived at the atelier at Place Vendôme – and because I was so loud – I had this storm of carlini always walking around me. Before leaving the atelier, I had to take off the make-up as it was top secret before the show. I thought I would have some fun before I left, so I locked his dogs in the bathroom. Mr. Valentino was going crazy for 40 minutes desperately searching for them. And I was laughing my pants off next door as I was taking off my make-up. I was cheeky – the normal Mariacarla.
Everything was so lovely. He used the same great old seamstresses from the Roman atelier and would bring them all to Paris for the shows – it’s the same now with Piccioli. It’s a big family, a glamorous couture major family.
Valentino Haute Couture photographed by Paolo di Paolo, 1967
The 26th issue is the Vietnamese-American designer’s most intimate project to date, inviting readers to explore the idea of home and understand the internal narratives of the shy designer.
The Swedish artist’s monographic exhibition at David Zwirner Paris ponders heartbreak and nostalgia whilst blurring the textures of reality.
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