Independence vital to Valli amid haute couture success

Milan

GIAMBATTISTA Valli says his fledgling ready-to-wear line is thriving - thanks to spillover synergy from a haute couture operation that has made him a darling of the celebrity A-list set.

The Paris-based Roman designer has made his name with spectacularly beautiful and eye-wateringly expensive made-to-measure creations for the likes of singer Rihanna, George Clooney's wife Amal and, most recently, actress Emma Stone, who wowed this month's Venice film festival in one of his dresses.

In the process, Valli has been credited with making haute couture more relevant than it has ever been and providing a bridge between a rarified world and contemporary popula…