A brief biography

1916 Irene Galitzine was born in Tiblisi, the capital of Georgia. Her mother was a Russian princess and her father was an officer in the Tsar's Guard. When the October Revolution broke out the Galitzine family decided to leave Russia and after a short stop in Constantinople, subsequently arrived in Rome. Irene adopted the city as her new home and took up residence there once she had become successful. As she had come to Italy when she was just one year old, Irene grew up to be perfectly bilingual. She also obteined a diploma in English in Cambridge, and in French at the Sorbonne and also learnt Portuguese.Furthermore she matriculated in political science University and also decided to take an art and design course. Before joining the fashion world, Irene Galitzine worked for a while translating English-language film dialogues.

1943 She then joined the famous Rome-based fashion house belonging to the Fontana Sisters where her role varied from dealing with public relations, to creating patterns and work as a model.

1946 After a three-year apprenticeship, she finally opened her own atelier where she exclusively produced French fashion. As she had patronized the Parisian set and was a great fan of the patterns created by Balenciaga, Dior and Schiaparelli, she felt that only French fashion was really avant-garde.

1949 Irene married Silvio Medici de Menezes, a young exponent of the Portuguese aristocracy.

1959 Success came when the American Fashion Press invited her to present her collection in Boston and she also won an important award in the United States, the "Filene Talent Award" as top designer of the year.

One of the "embroidered pyjamas" worn by Irene.

The success of the Pijama Palazzo

1960 The height of her fame came when she launched the "Pijama Palazzo". As the name suggests, this silk item was similar to pyjamas, characterised by very wide trouser legs, and the neologism was propagated by Diana Vreeland in an article published on vogue magazine.

1962 The Italian press names Irene Galitzine "Designer of the Year".

Famous customers

As personal friend of a number of famous personalities such as the Kennedys, the Fords, Elizabeth Taylor and Marella Agnelli, over the years Irene Galitzine has dressed many of the world's most beautiful women.
Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Sofia Loren and Claudia Cardinale from the world of cinema, exponents of the Rothschild family, Paola di Liegi and Annamaria, the former queen of Greece, have all worn her creations.

Irene Galitzine and Pino Lancetti.

1965 Irene Galitzine also won the Sunday Times International Fashion Award. In the wake of this success, she decided to leave for Japan with Emilio Pucci in an attempt to export Italian fashion to the Orient. It was at around this time, that the designer began to launch her prêt à porter collection, trying to make it as attractive as possible to her admirers.

1983 She subsequently transferred her atelier to 56, Via Gregoriana in Rome.

1988 In May, Irene Galitzine returned to Russia. On the stage of the Rossja Theatre in Moscow, the designer presented six fashion shows with eighty patterns. In her country of origin, she was also invited to university where she held several seminars for aspiring designers and art students.

1990 The Xines company, which is owned by Giada Ruspoli, purchased the Galitzine brand. As a result of this economic agreement, the young designer Massimo Rubini has joined the creative team of this Russian-Italian fashion house. This is part of a general attempt to renew the company by updating the innovative qualities that have always set Galitzine creations apart from the rest.
A new boutique has also opened in the very heart of the capital in Via Bocca di Leone. From haute couture to prêt à porter, from knitwear for men and women to fur ware, princess Irene has dealt with various areas of interest in the fashion world. She has in fact, designed ties and foulards and has even followed the cosmetics and costume jewellery lines. She has also launched a "house project" that includes creations in a variety of sectors such as porcelain, silverware and carpets and as part of this project, has signed an agreement with Richard Ginori. As well as the Palazzo Pijama, Galitzine will be remembered above all for her eveningwear, her elegant suits and her particularly feminine raincoats.