Mood board: Since taking the solo creative directorship at Valentino last season, Pierpaolo Piccioli has drawn from both Hieronymus Bosch and the punk artist Jamie Reid as inspiration behind his collections. For A/W 2017, Piccioli imagined a dialogue between Victoriana and the Memphis design movement, in a collection that culminated in elegant 19th century dresses, some high-necked, others with prim button up details and collars, in clashing Memphis hues, like reds, lilacs, yellows and turquoise. Delicate floral prints, tiny ruffles and velvets added emphasis to Piccioli’s Victorian sensibility, while black and white abstract squiggle and grid prints that featured on fluid dresses were markedly Memphis.
Best in show: Piccioli has a masterful sense of colour – who can forget his S/S 2017 collection, which featured an exploration of pinks, reds and yellows? A/W 2017’s strongest looks culminated in those that explored a particular hue, like a pastel yellow smock dress paired with bright sunshine-yellow leather boots or a high-necked red dress, layered with a lilac leather trench-coat and magenta leather boots.
Finishing touches: A modern Valentino signature (and one that has seen revenues rocket), studs featured on stompy lace-up boots which buckled around the calf. The style brought a harder and more militaristic edge to the romantic shapes in the collection.