Valentino’s Modern Elegance
Refine your everyday style with luxe knits and divine dresses from Valentino’s pre-fall ’19 collection
To say that Pierpaolo Piccioli has an eye for detail would be an understatement. As the creative director of Valentino, the Italian designer has gained a reputation for expertly crafted clothes that enchant and seduce with their languid elegance. His pre-fall 2019 collection was no exception. Staged in Tokyo, Piccioli’s venue was a stripped-back and spacious warehouse that served to further highlight the sophistication of his designs. Immersing himself in the culture of his host country, he found himself drawn to Japanese philosophies such as wabi-sabi – which recognizes the beauty in imperfection – and ma – loosely translated as the space between things, and which Piccioli considers “a place for pondering and inventing”.
While pondering this collection, he filled his moodboard with archival images of some of Valentino’s most iconic dresses; from Brooke Shields in the ’80s, to a ’90s runway shot of Yasmeen Ghauri, both decked out in the house’s signature romantic ruffles. His juxtaposition of old and new, East and West, resulted in a dynamic collection of sculptural silhouettes with couture-level precision. Take the black column gown that is unexpectedly trimmed in a frothy tulle, to lend a sense of volume and romance to an otherwise pared-back shape, therefore making it the type of versatile piece that can be worn to the office – styled simply with pointed kitten heels and a black tote bag – and then elevated for more formal dress codes: strappy sandals and a chic clutch bag will do the trick.
There was a sense of playfulness to Piccioli’s voluminous flourishes, too. An ivory mini dress was accentuated by a pretty ruffled hem that lent a sense of movement. Meanwhile, a simple sweater became a statement piece thanks to its 3D-trimmed sleeves. Experimenting with the house codes is one of Piccioli’s hallmarks, and he used them to transform another black sweater by adding romantic lace and ruffled sleeves. Tucked into tailored pants or a swishy midi skirt, these luxe basics are understated yet ornate.
All of this attention to detail and penchant for decoration reminds us that Piccioli cut his teeth as an accessory designer. Joining Valentino in 1999, he initially headed up the entire accessories range before his appointment as creative director. Two decades later, the house’s cult shoe and bag offering espouse real-world wearability with an artistic beauty. The minimalist ‘Escape’ tote is capacious enough to stow away all of your daily essentials, while its pretty gold hardware and minimalist design make it a highly-coveted piece of arm candy, and the leather-trimmed canvas tote is a pretty but practical day bag that will perfectly complement casual dresses or office attire.