December 19, 2020 |
“Couture is made for emotions, dreams,” says Pierpaolo Piccioli. Valentino’s creative director combines poetic, operatic and humanist sensibilities that marry the visually spectacular with the earthiness of humanity. “Aren’t people amazing when we can make things like this?!” he seems to suggest with every show – emphasising the point by taking his bow with his team. His vision of beauty – made by human hands and written in magisterial volumes and vivid colours – transcends language and culture.
All of Couture’s transporting qualities were on show when the designer took his Roman atelier to Beijing’s Summer Palace for a glorious, one-off couture show. The glittering, silver-painted faces of the models, the imposing caped gowns and twinkling crystal catsuits and veils had a combined magnificence that was almost overwhelming. Piccioli called it his Valentino Daydream. Don’t wake us.
Photography by German Larkin. Taken from Issue 65 of 10 Magazine – FAMILY, FOREVER, LOVE – available to purchase here.
