Scene setting: Designers Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri tapped relatively unknown Melbourne artist Esther Stewart to design a sprawling carpet that stretched through the myriad salons of the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild in geometric triangulated patterns, like a giant backgammon board. The vivid grassy green, Prussian blue and Bordeaux tones returned paneled across leather anoraks and felt blazers, as did the angular shapes (slashed into greyscale flannel).
Mood board: The balance of a precise sartorial wardrobe with opulent, directional daywear has become Valentino's menswear forte, a formula they evolved here into finite sections inspired not only by Stewart's paintings, but the sweeping Sixties movements of Futurism and Cubism. It translated in two major ways; both applied as colourblocking across rugged, scuba-zipped outerwear, and in the trim suiting silhouette that closed the show in precious 4-leaf clover jacquards.
Best in show: From afar, the delicate embellishment across a pair of pale jackets (a topcoat and a bomber) was almost Native American, resplendent in linear red and blue embroidery. A navy wool bomber tracked with inlaid planets and star charts was a celestial nod to the women's Pre-Fall collection; a welcome esoteric touch amongst the strict graphic forms.
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Aesthetics and acoustics come together in the Braque speakers from Nocs DesignThe Braque speakers bring the art of noise, sitting atop a brushed steel cube that wouldn’t look out of place in a contemporary gallery
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Inside the seductive and mischievous relationship between Paul Thek and Peter HujarUntil now, little has been known about the deep friendship between artist Thek and photographer Hujar, something set to change with the release of their previously unpublished letters and photographs
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In addition to brutalist buildings, Alison Smithson designed some of the most creative Christmas cards we've seenThe architect’s collection of season’s greetings is on show at the Roca London Gallery, just in time for the holidays
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Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expectFive moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
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Donna Trope celebrates the power of the Polaroid in Paris‘Polaroids used to be my rejects, and now they are my holy grail,’ says the beauty photographer, as she shows rarely seen images in a Paris exhibition
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Inside the new Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome, which opens with an ode to ‘Valentino Red’Wallpaper* gets a private tour of the new Roman institution, PM23, which opens with an exhibition of ‘dialogues’ between Valentino Garavani’s designs and a catalogue of red-hued contemporary art
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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Valentino’s theatrical new exhibition celebrates the house founder’s 90th birthdayAt Teatro Sociale di Voghera, a new exhibition marks seminal designer Valentino Garavani’s 90th birthday, collating pieces from his time at the helm with ‘Valentino red’ taking centre stage
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
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Valentino’s new Beijing exhibition explores the role of fashion‘Re-Signify Part Two’ juxtaposes items from the Valentino archive and the work of contemporary artists such as Cao Fei, Xu Zhen, and Nick Knight
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Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
