Francesco Smalto (5 November 1927 – 5 April 2015) was an Italian fashion designer. Born in

Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria ( scn, label= Southern Calabrian, Riggiu; el, label= Calabrian Greek, Ρήγι, Rìji), usually referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria. It has an estimated popul ...

, Smalto started working in his hometown as a tailor, and he created his first dress when he was 14 years old. In 1962 he started his fashion house in Paris. He dressed many celebrities and also several heads of state, notably

François Mitterrand François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...

and King Hassan II of Morocco. In 2001, Smalto retired and sold his brand to Alliance Designers. At the beginning of March 2019, ''

L'Obs (), previously known as (1964–2014), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, it is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation. Its current editor is Cécil ...

'' revealed that Jack Lang would have received for nearly 195,600 euros of costumes and trousers from the Italian fashion designer Smalto between 2013 and 2018. His lawyer confirms by stating that "his gifts have never had any counterpart". A preliminary inquiry was opened on March 12 for "abuse of social property"..

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smalto, Francesco 1927 births 2015 deaths People from Reggio Calabria Italian fashion designers Fashion designers from Paris