Before Jackie Kennedy donned designer Valentino, he helmed an unheard-of fashion house in Italy. Will designers Isabel Toledo and Jason Wu have as bright a future thanks to Michelle Obama, the most fashionable first lady since Jackie Kennedy?
Matt Tyrnauer, a man familiar with all things Valentino, would know. He’s a special correspondent for Vanity Fair magazine, but more recently the filmmaker behind the new docu-film “Valentino: The Last Emperor.”
We chatted with him last week while he was in town to premiere his film at The Row fashion event in Bethesda, where he compared the similarities between the Italian designer’s debut in America and that of the foreign-born designers Michelle Obama is introducing to the world.
“It all started for him in the year John F. Kennedy died and Jackie requested he design all the clothes for her year in mourning,” Tyrnauer informed us. Kennedy ordered six of his couture dresses in black and white to wear that year, which set off a frenzy much like what we’ve seen with Obama’s favorite items, such as her J. Crew cardigan (sadly not as glamorous, but we are in a recession).
“Kennedy made him an international star,” he said.
A little-known fact that further connects Kennedy and Obama through their fashion sense: Kennedy insisted Valentino design for her sleeveless dresses, something that was unheard of in 1964 and created a mini-scandal. Guess the fuss about baring arms hasn’t changed much.
But Tyrnauer said he foresaw Toledo and Wu — and we’ll add Maria Pinto to that list — one day would be household names to not only Washington fashionistas.
