Paris Autumn/Winter '08

Valentino
Valentino's long-term business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, could not have put it better: 'respectful' he said of Alessandra Facchinetti's debut for Valentino. Hardly easy shoes to fill, Facchinetti (whose resumé includes Moncler and Gucci) treaded carefully, presenting a collection that certainly won't frighten off Mr Valentino's loyal clientele. She concentrated on key tenets of the brand DNA like elegance and femininity, showing that her reign will be an evolution rather than a revolution. Working with a palette of nude, pink, Valentino red and navy she showed a lot of restraint. Tailoring was structured yet soft, sleeves of jackets had volume at the wrist and curved hems, and coats had asymmetrical openings and volume in the back. Facchinetti loves decoration: her ruffles (a must of the season) came micro in sheared or torn silks or macro in strips of knitted tape on sweaters. She also referenced the pancake petals from Valentino's Haute Couture.

Images: Catwalking.com