Valentino S/S 2016

Mood board: Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli's spring show evoked a rock'n'roll road-trip through South America, grounded by Valentino's signature tall-and-lean silhouette. Brightly coloured embroidered motifs were stitched onto faded denims, and leather biker-jackets emblazoned with flags and maps, collectively evoking the louche glory of Peter Fonda in the 1969 movie 'Easy Rider'.
Scene setting: The show's soundtrack was a classical rendition of Nirvana's 'Come As You Are', setting the mood for a collection that had a whiff of rebellion and revolution - albeit elegantly executed, of course. It was almost as if 1960s hip cats from Los Angeles had decided to take a trip south of the border. Think Arlo Guthrie on a thrill-seeking journey through Chile.
Finishing touches: The pair's precision laser-cutting techniques offered an interesting juxtaposition to the show's summer-of-love-era faded denim jeans, with sun-bleached sections on the calves. The show's footwear mixed genres, too - from slip-on Plimsolls with espadrille rims, to leather sandals with artisanal South American stitching.
Photography: Jason Lloyd-Evans
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