September 30, 2019 |
If Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli has a signature it is for making divine clothes with the power to transport the wearer (and the watcher). He makes women look breathtakingly beautiful. Adut Akech, with gold crystal Cleopatra eyeliner (courtesy of the incredible Pat McGrath), the volumes of her white poplin shirtdress carefully controlled, is a fine example of how he improves on perfection. Many of the looks were white, and in cotton, all the better to focus on silhouette and proportion, which had the grandeur of couture. He fashioned mini dresses that looked like clouds of feathers, strict nuns habits and easy kaftans. Pared back yet extravagant, his poets blouses ballooned and flounced. The shapes were epic, then bam! He did the same in green and orange neon, then gentler shades of coral, lilac and clementine (this was a mostly white collection bursting with spectacular colour). Although there was less embellishment than we’ve come to expect, these were not plain clothes. Piccioli built white on white floral patterns and flames of neon with complex collages of fabrics, akin to inlay. This is a couture house and the workmanship is second to none.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
