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FW18; Major Moment | Valentino
Happy Wednesday all!
So…I had a conversation with one of my close friends – and an avid reader of the blog – recently.
She mentioned how much she misses my writing here, and how she can sense my just wanting to complete the Fall-Winter 2018 collections.
I had to admit, that this has indeed been the case.
It is no secret that the Fall-Winter 2018 collections left me largely unimpressed – a filler in the fashion world in my eyes.
And while not every collection in every season has to revolutionize fashion and add something new to the fashion landscape, I felt like the majority of the FW18 collections were, for the most part, pretty safe.
Maybe in retrospect, a number of the labels are in that weird in-between phase where the brand focuses on tightening up some not-so-obvious things – production, technical skills etc. in preparation for more experimenting and boundary pushing?
One can only hope.
A time to reap and a time to sow, eh?
So, with all that being said, despite revisiting the collections pre-posting, I could not find it in me to review any.
Albeit, there were some collections I LOVED – like the recently posted Sacai and Manish Arora – but review-worthy? Not quite.
That is, until this show.
I’m not going to lie. I really tried to resist writing this review. But the more I looked at the images, the more details I saw, and the more I fell in love.
Pierpaolo Piccioli has really done something impressive – not only with this collection, but with the Valentino brand as a whole.
How hard it must be to take such a revered and established Euro-couture house and infuse it with one’s own aesthetic while remaining true to the foundation of the brand, all while modernizing it in such a way that it becomes inclusive and relevant to the current social goings-on.
*phew* That was a mouthful!
But, it really is an incredible task, one that we have seen many-a-designer crumble under. Just look at the unfortunate cases of Massimo Giorgetti who lasted two years at Pucci, and Bouchra Jarrar and Olivier Lapidus who both lasted a little under a year at Lanvin after failing to revive the brand.
But Piccioli has successfully steered Valentino in the right direction. Starting with his fresh ‘renaissance virgin’ aesthetic, the brand’s recognizable shapes are now a seemingly far cry from where the house started – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing!
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This collection is based on romanticism.
“It’s a strength today, if you’re able to be assertive but not aggressive.”
Piccioli has an affinity for sophisticated and somewhat understated drama.
There is a real elegance in the simplicity of his designs.
And, almost like a multi-course meal, he places simpler pieces to break up the run-of-show, almost like a palette cleanser to prepare the audience for more sumptuous looks.
There was real curation and thought put into this collection.
And a wide array of looks to choose from regardless of size, shape, and age.
Whatever you could’ve wanted, it was here.
Fully covered gowns, to ankle length trousers, to jackets, from the tailoring to the embroidery and craftsmanship, this was a full service.
And what an exquisite color palette for the Fall!
I mean it is bright and colorful. There is a happiness to it.
And for a collection based on romance, it is hard to not fall in love.
This really was such a standout collection, for both the brand and the Fall-Winter shows.
Goes to show, a little romance goes a long way.
See the rest of the collection here.
Enjoy!
xx
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