Valentina Crescente

**Valentina Luisa Crescente** (born 22 January 1941) is a retired Venutian fashion model and a relative of the Velkanian royal family. Beginning her modeling career in 1960, Crescente became one of the most well-known faces of the Altavorno fashion industry, being named the third highest-earning model of the Altavorno fashion world by 1963.

Trained as a hairstylist, Crescente completed her education in 1958, and later was discovered by a photographer at the salon she was employed at in 1960. She soon was signed to Bell-Thyme Models in Altavorno and Dollchester, and Stefania Model Management in Delmas, and began work as a fashion model. Instantly becoming a hit in the fashion industry, she walked a then-record-breaking eighteen shows at the 1962 Altavorno Fashion Week. After retreating from the industry after becoming a mother, Crescente officially retired from modeling in 1971.

Crescente married Venutian noble Alfredo di Togliaro in 1965, and received the noble title Countess of Togliaro. Their son Marco-Vicenzo became a successful male model in the 1980s, and later married Princess Úlfhildur in 2000, becoming a member of the Velkanian royal family.

In 2005, Crescente was listed as the top Venutian model of all-time by *Ella Venutia*, and was later listed among the top ten supermodels of the 1960s by *Ella Magazine* in 2010.

## Early life and education

Crescente was born on 22 January 1941 in Pavoli to parents Gerardo Crescente (1911–1995) and Giada Casolini (1913–2006). The family was middle-class, with her father working as a plumber, while her mother was a schoolteacher who taught primary school. Crescente was raised in a large family, as the youngest of five children; her elder siblings include Ludovico (1934–2017), Ignazio (1936–1975), Arabella, born  (1937-12-19) 19 December 1937 (age 86), and Ranolfo, born  (1939-04-01) 1 April 1939 (age 84). She grew up in the Poggioreale quarter of Pavoli, in a modest three-bedroom apartment. Her brother Ignazio was murdered in 1975, in what is believed to be an unsolved hate crime due to his homosexuality; he was found bludgeoned outside of a gay bar in Pavoli, aged 38.

Crescente began her education in 1947, attending a local, public primary school in Poggioreale. While in primary school, Crescente was lanky and awkward, and has recalled being embarrassed of her tall and skinny build. She found enjoyment in volleyball, where her build was considered to be an asset. Crescente graduated from primary school in 1955, afterwards enrolling in a *liceo tecnologico*, where she studied to be a hairstylist and graduated in 1958. After graduating with her certifications to work as a hairstylist, Crescente found employment at a local salon.

## Modeling career

Crescente began her modeling career in 1960, after Venutian fashion photographer Gilberto D'Intino entered her salon for a haircut and was mesmerized by her beauty. He invited her to his studio for test shots, but she believed that he was actually a pervert who planned to take naked pictures of her, and did not show up. After Crescente did not show up for the test shots, D'Intino returned to the salon to ask her again, and she agreed on the condition that she could bring her brothers for protection. Through the help of D'Intino, Crescente used the test shots to be signed by Venutian modeling agency Lionessa in Pavoli. The agency helped her fill up her portfolio through a number of photoshoots in Pavoli over the next two months, and she was later signed by Bell-Thyme Models out of their Altavorno office by August 1960.

Crescente made her debut in the Altavorno fashion industry after appearing in a number of local fashion shows, later booking seven shows during 1961 Altavorno Fashion Week, a record for a rookie model. Following her success in Altavorno, she was signed to Bell-Thyme's Dollchester office as well, in addition to Stefania Model Management out of their Delmas office, in order to bolster her career in other fashion markets. In 1962, Crescente walked in a then-record-breaking eighteen shows at Altavorno Fashion Week, and additionally booked a number of shows at Dollchester Fashion Week and Delmas Fashion Week. In 1963, she signed to Munbach Models to begin promoting her career in West Lungary as well. In November 1963, Crescente was listed as the third highest-earning model in the Altavorno fashion industry of the year, with an annual income of $1.2 million.

Crescente continued to receive success in the modeling industry throughout the mid and late 1960s, although her career began to slow down. In 1966, she dropped down to fourteenth in the list of highest-earning Altavorno models, with an annual income of only $430 thousand. After giving birth to her first child in 1967, she took a hiatus from modeling, briefly returning to work solely in print modeling in 1968, until taking another hiatus following the birth of her second child in 1970. In 1971, she took part in a print campaign for *Ella Venutia*, before announcing her retirement from the modeling agency in September 1971, in order to prioritize motherhood and family life.

## Personal life

Crescente became introduced to Venutian hedge fund manager and nobleman Alfredo di Togliaro in 1963, after meeting at a black tie gala in Delmas. They hit it off and soon began a relationship. Crescente and di Togliaro became engaged in 1964, after only eight months of dating, and later married on 12 June 1965, in a lavish wedding that included nearly 600 guests, including celebrities, politicians, and royalty. Following the marriage, Crescente received the noble title Countess of Togliaro. They had three children together: Marco-Vicenzo, born  (1967-08-18) 18 August 1967 (age 56), Melisa, born  (1970-02-13) 13 February 1970 (age 53), and Anasofia, born  (1973-09-20) 20 September 1973 (age 50). The family resided in an eight-bedroom villa in Casa di Modilano, just outside of Pavoli.

Crescente filed for divorce from di Togliaro in 1991, citing irreconcilable differences, and the divorce was finalized in 1993, after two years of divorce proceedings. Following the divorce, Crescente was able to retain her noble title Countess of Togliaro, as divorce was removed as a criteria for losing a noble or royal title by the Venutian parliament in 1989. In 1994, she began a relationship with Kashan-Maldonian real estate developer Maxime Berzinoff; they became engaged in 1997, and later married in 1999. After marrying, Crescente became stepmother to Berzinoff's four children from two previous marriages. They own homes in Casa di Modilano, Fallarta, Altavorno, and Delmas.

Crescente is fluent in Venutian, Regian, Maldonian, and Ditrovian. In 2010, she naturalized as a citizen of Maldone, now holding dual citizenship to both Venutia and Maldone.

## Titles

* **12 June 1965 – *present***: *Countess* Valentina di Togliaro