With fashion month approaching, designers everywhere are getting ready to make moves on the runway—but some have been making waves in the real estate world as well lately. Donatella Versace recently purchased a vacation home on Lake Maggiore in Italy, and now Valentino Garavani is selling his summer villa in Tuscany for $13.3 million.
Garavani, 87 (who is mostly known simply by his first name), and his partner in life and business, Giancarlo Giammetti, just listed Villa La Vagnola after owning the 1700s abode in the medieval town of Cetona for over three decades, according to reports. “They would escape here from Rome’s frenetic lifestyle—it’s their retreat where they could find peace, silence and relax, and occasionally hold fashion events and parties,” said real estate agent Riccardo Romolini of Romolini Immobiliare.
It’s easy to see why it was a favorite spot for the couple. The villa is situated on 27 private acres, but offers easy access to the town's main piazza and boasts panoramic views (plus, the interiors are pretty incredible). The property comprises 15 suites, each decorated in a different style and color. There is even one named Sophia Loren after the legendary actress, who stayed in the room.
A mix of neoclassical and Middle Eastern design details can be found throughout the space: frescoed walls, terra-cotta and marble-tiled floors, marble fireplaces, hand-painted wallpaper, and columns. Although it was built in 1750, the home has gone through major renovations over the years, notably by renowned Italian architect Renzo Mongiardino in the 1980s.
Also on the property are a pool, gardens, gym, sauna, former horse stables, stone amphitheater with seating for 200, jogging track around the property, and even underground tunnels complete with an ancient tomb from the seventh century BC.
“The setting is ideal: The residence overlooks the sunny main piazza at a walking distance from the cafes and restaurants,” said Romolini. “But at the same time, it is hidden and tucked away far into the Tuscan countryside, within a fully fenced piece of fertile land granting unrivaled privacy.” The Valentino founder also owns homes in Rome, Paris, New York, and other locales.
