Mood board: The byline to Valentino’s expansive A/W 2016 menswear collection was taken from American writer and mountaineer, Jon Krakauer’s critically acclaimed Into the Wild. First published in 1996, the book explores the essence of man’s survival and self-discovery against the odds. And so models paced a purple carpeted catwalk within the elegant Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild as if setting out on their own adventure, gathering a wardrobe crammed full of unexpected contrasts along the way.
Best in show: A sharper, fresher silhouette opened the show. Standouts included the spellbinding graphic patterns taken from Navajo blankets that were spread over a group of black tailored suits and slim overcoats. The tribal embellishments and nomadic whimsy that creative director’s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have become known for was here too, with the show concluding with a clutch of bold geometric prints, embroidered camouflage and denim.
Finishing touches: Even the attaché case was updated to reflect the collection’s merging of bohemian exoticism with the spirit of the outdoors. These were replete with the recognisable gunmetal Valentino studding – here in everything from glossy auburn croc to burgundy nappa, pale yellow and orange – offering something for every beta beatnik.
