MANILA, Philippines—Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the late Princess Diana, former Empress of Iran Farah Diba, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, Sarah Jessica Parker—these iconic women share one thing: They were all dressed by Valentino in his career of 45 years.

A retrospective exhibit for the designer called “Valentino, thèmes et variations” is going on at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. It is drawing crowds eager to review and reacquaint themselves with the masterpieces of this design genius. Valentino stood for grace, femininity, elegance and sophistication—traits becoming more rare in this era of clutter and visual overload.

Valentino Clemente Ludovico Garavani was born May 11, 1932, in Voghera, a small town in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. The master of fashion who loves “poppy red” color (Valentino red) attended Santa Marta Fashion Institute in Milan and later the School of the Employers’ Federation in Paris.

At age 20 in 1952, he apprenticed at Jean Dessès in Paris, and joined Guy Laroche in 1957. With his parents’ help, Valentino formally joined the world of fashion in 1959 when he opened his first couture house in Rome at 11 Via Condotti. His view on how women should dress, with glamour and sophistication, is reflected in his designs— they have grace, elegance, and femininity.

His first collection was presented at Pitti Palace in Florence in 1962. It drew rave reviews and impressed buyers from I. Magnin who put in orders, making Valentino’s name known to high society and the couture-loving women in the US. In 1965, he became the worldwide representative of Italian Haute Couture and was awarded the Neiman Marcus prize for fashion in Dallas two years later.

It was also in this decade that Rome basked in the international spotlight, due in part to the popularity of Italian movies such as “La Dolce Vita.” The glory that was Rome bolstered Valentino’s career.

It was also then that he struck a friendship with Jackie Kennedy, who asked him to design a wardrobe to mark the end of her mourning for her husband, the assassinated US President John Kennedy.

In October 1968, Jackie wore a vanilla-colored lace cocktail dress made by Valentino for her wedding to Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. The ’70s saw Valentino rise as a design giant and brand, thanks to the business acumen and direction of Giancarlo Giammetti.

At 75, Valentino announced his intention to retire. His last show in January, which had models walking down the catwalk in the uniform same dress in “Valentino red,” marked the end of his long career. He has since turned over the design reins to Alessandra Facchinetti.

His Paris retrospective showcases 200 of his most memorable models, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ wedding dress, the gown worn by Elizabeth Taylor to the premiere of “Spartacus,” and the black-and-white gown Julia Roberts wore to the Academy Awards when she won Best Actress for “Erin Brokovich.”

The exhibit opened with a dramatic piece from the Fall-Winter 2007-2008 collection: a rose-pink crepe dress with an amazing cape of petal layered pink organza (the “pages” look), its layers fluttering with each movement. Other memorable dresses include another gown from the Fall-Winter 2007 collection—black taffeta embellished with big roses and crystal-encrusted leaf embroidery, under a veneer of fine black tulle. This gown is a take on his original Spring-Summer 1959 red cocktail dress.

Another standout is a beautiful and feminine “rose” gown in pink degradé carmine taffeta and organza from the Spring-Summer 2003 collection.

Also on display are white suits and coat dresses from his “Collezione Bianca,” with the trademark “V.” There were the dresses and gowns in delicate lace, plumes and feathers, with intricate beadwork, standout animal prints, summery floral sprigs, and bold geometric designs.

The last room of the exhibit houses select pieces from Valentino’s last collection, paying homage to 45 years of commanding presence in the fashion world. His design principle and aesthetics have always been simple despite the technical complexities in the execution of his work: clean lines to enhance the beauty of the female body.

On his retirement, he was quoted by Rome’s Il Messagero newspaper: “The world of fashion has now been ruined… I became rather bored of continuing in a world which doesn’t say anything to me. There is little creativity and too much business.”

Valentino retrospective runs until Sept. 21.