Mood board: As pretty as a picture, Valentino’s study of refined fashion elegance went deeper this season as designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli mined the ever graceful world of ballet. Making modern sense of the lean body suits and tulle underlays was a 1990s urban vibe that cut the frills with a sharp dose of military, street and combat gear.
Best in show: As usual, Valentino loaded its runway with piles of beautifully articulate clothing. The pleated skirts with car wash strips embellished with crystal or studs were superb, as were the incredible camel hair coats crusted in fabulous patterns of jewels and beads, and on a more sober note, the sharp captains’ coats that opened the show in a rare show of stern rigour.
Finishing touches: The coolest part of this show was the way the designers took their artful, delicate creations and paired them with hard core lace-up leather military boots, the ones that are designed to trudge through the mud and street slop. The footwear cast a very modern shadow on the looks that came embellished with ropes of long silver chains and charms.
