James Valeri is half Italian, half English, born in London and raised in Rome. He has always had a passion for clothing. As a young child, watching his mother getting dressed and going shop with her, he started making customized clothes for his barbie dolls. At the age of 12 he started collecting copies of Italian Vogue and developed a vivid passion for fashion. It was the beginning of the 90’s the era of the “super models”.
When he was at college, he attended a course of PR & Fashion Journalism at the London Institute. The course gave him the opportunity to assist Carine Roitfeld in Paris. It was then that James realized he wanted to be a stylist. After finishing attaining his degree in fashion, he went to study Literature & Philosophy in Rome “La Sapienza” university, and then went to work in Milan for Italian fashion magazine Flair, assisting the fashion director Monica Dolfini. From there he moved to New York to work with the fashion director of VMan, Andrew Richardson, and then Marie Amelie Sauvé at American Vogue and Vogue Paris.
After years of assisting amazing stylists he decided to start his own career. He co-founded and co-owned Document Journal, where he was Editor in Chief and Creative Director while also styling. He collaborated with talents like: Fran Lebowitz, Isa Genzken, Peter Doig, Wolfgang Tillmans, Francesco Vezzoli, Sterling Ruby, Larry Clark, Hilton Als, Bethann Ardison, Jo Ann Furniss, Vince Aletti, Edmund White, Glen O’Brien, Mariuccia Casadio, Honey Dijon, Andre Walker, Tyrone Lebon, Hedi Slimane, Viviane Sassen, Jodie Barnes, Elodie David Taboul, Max Permain, Lotta Volkova, Fabien Baron, Guido Palau, Joe Mckenna, Olivier Rizzo. After living twelve years in New York and once the magazine became establised and successful he married his partner, Mathew Adam, and decided to move back to Europe. They opened a b&b in Tuscany called Casa Iris.
James lives between Rome, Tuscany and Paris and he continues traveling the world as a freelance stylist and fashion consultant. He has recently been appointed Fashion Director of french magazine Exhibition.
Magazines:
D la Repubblica, Document Journal, Dossier, Double, Dust, Exhibtion, Harper's Bazaar U.S., i-D Magazine, Interview, M Le Monde, Man About Town, Revue, L'Uomo Vogue, V Magazine, V Man, Vanity Fair U.S., Vogue China, Vogue Italia, Vogue Japan, Vogue U.S., W Magazine
Clients:
AC9world, Bvlgari, Boss, Calvin Klein, Capucci, Cartier, Christian Dior, Emilo Pucci, Helmut Lang, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Jacquemus, Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenzo, L'Oréal, La Perla, Lancôme, Max Mara, Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini, Phillip Lim, Tod's
Photographers:
David Armstrong, Cedric Buchet, Richard Bush, Dario Catellani, Lea Colombo, Bibi Cornejo Borthwick, Paolo Di Lucente, Colin Dodgson, Johnny Dufort, Roe Ethridge, Vito Fernicola, Robin Galiegue, Valentin Giacobetti, Nathaniel Goldberg, Oliver Hadlee Pearch, Estelle, Hanania, Gregory Harris, Paul Kooiker, Ilya Lipkin, Brett Lloyd, Christian MacDonald, Gareth McConnell, Leon Mark, Suffo Moncloa, Julia Noni, Andrew Nuding, Marton Perlaki, Richard Prince, Chris Rhodes, Daniel Riera, Terry Richardson, Robi Rodriguez, Bruno Staub, Daniel Sanwald, Collier Schorr, Senta Simond, Mario Testino, Matthias Vriens, Charlotte Wales, Harley Weir, Paul Wetherell, Hui Zhi Wei
