On May 9, 1998, Valeria Mazza and Alejandro Gravier were at the center of one of Argentina’s most emblematic weddings. The ceremony, held at the Church of the Most Holy Sacrament and followed by hundreds of journalists from around the world, became etched in the collective memory for its splendor, glamour, and an image that remains unmistakable to this day: Gravier stepping out of the church with an elegant gray top hat.
What few people know is that that hat almost did not become part of the entrepreneur’s look.
It all began during the Giorgio Armani, a friend of the couple and responsible for designing both the model’s gown and the groom’s morning coat, had just attended the wedding of a niece in England, where the men had worn top hats. Upon seeing her, Gravier became fascinated and asked the designer for an identical one for his wedding.
The response was immediate: no. Armani explained that the top hat is a traditionally English tradition and that it didn’t fit the style he had in mind for the wedding. However, facing the Argentine’s insistence, he ended up agreeing with a very clear condition: he would design the hat, but he had to carry it in his hand, along with the gloves, never putting it on at any moment.
Gravier accepted… at least in words.
Without Mazza knowing, he arranged for a trusted person to wait at the church door with the top hat. As soon as the ceremony ended, he picked up the hat and placed it in front of the hundreds of photographers and television cameras covering the event. The model’s reaction was a burst of laughter, and that image went on to become one of the decade’s most memorable snapshots.
For years, the myth circulated that he wore the top hat to appear taller than his wife. Both Gravier and Mazza have always debunked it with humor: he stands 1.78 meters tall and she 1.77, although she often wears high heels, they joke every time they recall the anecdote.
Over time, the galera ceased to be a simple accessory and became a family symbol. The couple keeps it in their dressing room, alongside the wedding dress and the Armani-designed morning coat, as a true collectible piece. It even reappeared at intimate celebrations, such as when they recreated their wedding to celebrate a new anniversary.
