Tribe Summers

“Sometimes when we are traveling, I feel like I’m taking care of a group of gypsies!” So says Giancarlo Giammetti of his and Mr. Valentino’s summers with “the tribe,” their far-flung yet close-knit adopted family. Sailing through Corsica. Sunbathing on the TM Blue, anchored off the coast of Capri. For Mr. Giammetti and Mr. Valentino, summer means sparkling blue water and the company of dear friends such as Valentino Worldwide Ambassador Carlos Souza, Charlene Shorto, their children Sean and Anthony, Georgina Brandolini, Marina Palma, Nati Abascal, the fashion director of Hola! magazine… And many others. Some members of the tribe have known Mr. Valentino and Mr. Giammetti since the Maison Valentino was in its infancy: Daniela Giardina, for instance, began working with Valentino in 1972, doing windows in the boutique. Bruce Hoeksema, the founder of luxury accessories brand BVH, was once the vice president of Valentino. Doris Brynner, Yul Brynner’s second wife, sold early Valentino couture collections to her friends from the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz. Other tribe members, meanwhile, are of more recent vintage. Valentino muse and longtime tribe member Rosario Saxe-Coburg introduced Gwyneth Paltrow to Mr. Giammetti and Mr. Valentino in 2002. Today, Gwyneth’s kinship with them is so close, she calls Mr. Giammetti “Nonna,” which means “grandmother” in Italian. Anne Hathaway is another Hollywood darling who has become an integral member of the tribe. Liz Hurley has been part of the family since the nineties. As summer progresses, members of the tribe come and go. But the tribe as a whole is as fundamental feature of Valentino summer as the sunshine. And they bring just as much light to Mr. Valentino and Mr. Giammetti’s lives.