Francesca Valarezo is a very well-known character in the world of fashion. She has designed clothing for men’s designer underwear, baby clothes and lingerie. She has also done design work for women’s apparel and accessories. Her clothing has achieved success not only as a result of its high quality and unique designs, but also as a result of the comfortable and unique way in which they fit a woman’s body. Valarezo is well-known as an authority on maternity wear and has helped many expectant mothers prepare for their pregnancies, including explaining the importance of purchasing high-quality maternity clothing, while emphasizing the need to keep the infant’s weight to a minimum.
Valarezo was born in Turin, Italy but grew up mainly in England where her two younger sisters also pursued a career in the fashion industry. As a young woman, she began studying ballet at the Royal Academy of Dance before pursuing an academic degree in design at the University of London. After graduating in 1964 she began a professional career designing clothes for the British Army servicemen stationed in Vietnam. After the war Francesca Valarezo settled in Italy and worked for prominent designers such as Mario Moretti and Stefano Gabbana.
Today Francesca Valarezo lives in Rome, teaching at a private school, whilst concurrently working on several internationally accredited design programs. She divides her time between Rome and Milan, where she teaches full time as a teacher and runs an exhibition in Milan which she design. As a member of the Italian National Association of Designers, Francesca Valarezo is also a member of the Commission Della Logiera Della Romagna (LCR). In 2021 she was awarded a CBE (Certificate of Appointment with Distinct Qualification) for services to the fashion and the arts, for contributions to fashion education and design, and for contributing to women’s international literature. Her other awards are a DBA (honorary), a knighthood, the Order of St Patrick and an OBE (orders of the British Empire).