Mario Valentino?? What is the real deal?

[Sparkletastic]

I ran across Mario Valentino bags when I was in Neiman Marcus in Chicago. I was puzzled because I'm not familiar with his brand and a lot of his bags looked like Gucci Soho rip offs with the interlocking G's replaced with a V.

I tried to look up info here at PF but the posts people had written were mostly just stating what this brand isn't -> Garavani Valentino (rock studs, etc.) which I already knew.

So, I'm not asking who / what MV isn't. I'm asking who IS / what IS the Mario Valentino brand. Is it really a luxury brand? Are his items well made with good quality materials? Does he have original designs?

I'd especially love to hear from anyone who owns / owned his bags and has real life experience with them - good or bad. THANKS!

 

[Sparkletastic]

Bump. Any Intel??

 

[Mariapia]

I have never heard of the brand....[emoji15]

 

[anasa]

I saw the brand at Off 5th (the Saks version of Nordstrom rack). Can't say I was very impressed by the line...

 

[shoppinggalnyc]

I keep seeing them at the outlets (Saks off 5th, Nordstrom Rack...) and they look like cheap knockoff bags with a $300-$400 price tag. I don't get it either.

 

[Sparkletastic]

I saw the brand at Off 5th (the Saks version of Nordstrom rack). Can't say I was very impressed by the line...

I keep seeing them at the outlets (Saks off 5th, Nordstrom Rack...) and they look like cheap knockoff bags with a $300-$400 price tag. I don't get it either.

This is exactly why I was puzzled. This was in Neiman Marcus on the Mag Mile. Not an outlet. And the bags I saw looked like Gucci knock offs.

I read one TPF post which suggested that this was a high end brand in the past so I wanted to get more intel before I rushed to (negative) judgement.

 

[Catash]

Even the name sounds knockoff....:lolots::giggles:

 

[buyingpig]

This is exactly why I was puzzled. This was in Neiman Marcus on the Mag Mile. Not an outlet. And the bags I saw looked like Gucci knock offs.

I read one TPF post which suggested that this was a high end brand in the past so I wanted to get more intel before I rushed to (negative) judgement.

I see them all the time at discount stores. They look really tacky. Maybe someone returned some from Last Call stores to Mag Mile?

 

[Sparkletastic]

I see them all the time at discount stores. They look really tacky. Maybe someone returned some from Last Call stores to Mag Mile?

No. They had a small display in NM's handbag department. Bizarro...

 

[jp23]

I've seen them at outlets they are cheap and obvious bad knock offs. I would stay away!

 

[MadMadCat]

mario valentino was an old producer of leader goods in italy. he actually pre-dated the other Valentino and made decent leather products. said that,i think someone must be trying to refurbish the brand, not with great success.

 

[Katiesmama]

I noticed them for the first time a couple of months ago at Dillards. I wasn't impressed.

 

[mharri20]

This is an old thread, but I was trying to find if anyone had intel on the Mario Valentino brand and how in the heck they aren't being sued by other designers. These bags drive me crazy to be honest. They are copying the Gucci Soho bag, the Celine Phantom, Celine mini belt bag, Chanel boy bag...even the GIvenchy Antigona. Not to mention, their symbol is almost exactly like Valentino Garavani's with a V and a circle. They look and feel cheap, and are so not worth the price tags.

I see more and more of these bags popping up on my IG feed, and the bloggers that use it are tagging Valentino Garavani...people seriously think it's the same brand! I see it on Poshmark too, and people think they are getting the other Valentino bags. I'm just flabbergasted that Neimans and other department stores are selling these bags. WHYYYY?!

Sorry, I just had to rant because I am completely in awe, and I don't understand at all.

 

[buyingpig]

This is an old thread, but I was trying to find if anyone had intel on the Mario Valentino brand and how in the heck they aren't being sued by other designers. These bags drive me crazy to be honest. They are copying the Gucci Soho bag, the Celine Phantom, Celine mini belt bag, Chanel boy bag...even the GIvenchy Antigona. Not to mention, their symbol is almost exactly like Valentino Garavani's with a V and a circle. They look and feel cheap, and are so not worth the price tags.

I see more and more of these bags popping up on my IG feed, and the bloggers that use it are tagging Valentino Garavani...people seriously think it's the same brand! I see it on Poshmark too, and people think they are getting the other Valentino bags. I'm just flabbergasted that Neimans and other department stores are selling these bags. WHYYYY?!

Sorry, I just had to rant because I am completely in awe, and I don't understand at all.

Those "knock off" bags are really annoying. They do feel very cheap. I don't even think I will buy one even if I find them for a penny at Nordstrom Rack. People really think they are the Valentino, and are buying them up...[emoji35]

Valentino in Valentino Garavani is his first name, so they cannot sue for the name. Maybe they can sue for trade mark infringement since their logo was literally copied. People behind Mario Valentino probably thought this through, and made the two logos just different enough.

As far as copying other brand goes... many brands end up making "knock offs" of trendy items. Brands like Steve Madden, Zara, or Michael Kors are always blatantly "borrowing" from other brands.

I really love the actual Valentino brand. Really hope Mario can be stopped somehow.

 

[Marisaa]

Just to clear dude's name.... He died in 1991. He is no relative of the Valentino we know, he was by himself.
Here:
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/01/o...signer-64-known-for-his-leather-fashions.html
Valentino Garavani born in 1932 and Mario Valentino in 1927, so who started business first and made Valentino name famous? Or it is just a coincidence.