David Downton Couture

My first assignment was drawing the Valentino fittings at The Ritz hotel. Mr Valentino was there, his partner Mr Giammetti and a half-dozen pugs. They were draping the model Amber Valletta in something that looked like liquid gold. That evening, still at The Ritz, I saw my first show, Versace. It was the swansong of the supermodel era and Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell stormed the catwalk, side by side. I was gone.