Valley's Dolls

ALVIN VALLEY'S DESIGNS TAILOR TO THE IN CROWD

T he da, Valley. private-school knew they'd From 1995 girls found through in a the treasure posh 1999 enclave when they his was of Coconut stumbled the clothing Grove, upon Alvin boutique Florifor socialites-in-the-making looking to pepper their Lilly Pulitzerand Ralph Lauren-filled closets with a dash of clean-lined sophistication. "It was so funny," says Valley, laughing. "My friend's store, Rene Ruiz, is where all the moms went. And all the daughters came to me." Today, the 29-yearold Valley, whose label is sold at Bergdorf's, Saks, and Fred Segal, designs, customizes, and entertains in the Manhattan showroom he moved into three years ago. "My girls," he says, referring to his faithful clientele—which includes society darlings such as Emilia Fanjul Pfeifler and Lourdes Fanjul, Serena and Samantha Boardman, Lulu Kwiatkowski, Tinsley Mortimer, and twins Jenna and Barbara Bush, as well as celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore—"inspire my collections. I design for them and for their lifestyles." Lifestyles, that is, which require weekend wardrobes for St. Barts, Gstaad, and Palm Beach. Of all his creations—tailored pantsuits, pastel miniskirts, tropical bikinis, and couture dresses—it is the wide-band-collar pants, made of Italian wool, matte sateen, or seersucker, that are in the highest demand. "In Miami, | learned to make clothes on the bodies of curvy Cuban women," he says, explaining why his pants miraculously flatter every figure. "I can dress voluptuous girls as well as girls who are stick-straight." Valley's style embraces classic cuts and patterns, but, because he "worships femininity," everything is nipped and tucked in all the right places. And as his friend Ines Rivero, the Argentinean model, points out, he dresses people appropriately. "Alvin doesn't make young people look too old, and he doesn't make older women look too young." Incidentally, Valley's fall 2004 hunting-themed collection was inspired by a recent Christmas trip to Rivero's country house in Millbrook, New York. For Valley and his customers, friendship has its privileges. -PUNCH HUTTON

PUNCH HUTTON