The Valentino AW21 ready-to-wear collection was unveiled today, the last day of Milan Fashion Week. It’s a dreamy collection where creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, has once again distanced himself from his usual fluorescent color palette and wide shapes and thrown us a curve ball of a black and white color palette and straight lines, with a small hint of color.
The collection is fitting for the next autumn and winter season, and perhaps it’s a reflection of the quiet and somber mood the world is in. It’s a safe collection where Piccioli hasn’t played with the usual and unique sartorial stories that he’s known to tell in his runway collections. One has to really squint to see color. For many looks in it was all black and white and then, gold, we saw shimmery gold in two short suits. But it was Piccioli’s careful intention to have a limited color palette of black, white, fluorescent acrylics, animal prints and polka dots. Models walked down the theater aisles under the singing of Cosima and Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi.
Paying homage to the city of Milan and the closure of theaters all over Italy because of the plight of the age of Covid, cultural activities have been challenged in the country. The House of Valentino and Piccioli wanted, as a gesture of love, to sustain culture by giving the Piccolo Teatro di Milano the opportunity to preserve human excellence with the autumn-winter show.
According to the House in a statement “The Piccolo Teatro di Milano, which was founded in 1947, is the first permanent and public theatre in Italy. It is considered an ambassador for the Italian theater culture throughout the world. Founded by Paolo Grassi and Giorgio Strehler, actor and director who oversaw over 200 plays, the theatre stages almost 60 performances per year, covering works by a variety of playwrights distributed all over the world.” Both Piccioli and the Teatro share the same values of diversity for every individual and inclusivity to all the Valentino community.
Piccioli’s aesthetic was a collection filled with capes, short and long skirts and dresses, turtle neck sweaters, and evening dresses that flow in sheer, feathers, lace or sequins. Piccioli relies on an irrepressible scissor stroke to create the short looks. There’s something 1970s’ about the feel of the collection.
Men’s looks were included in the collection of masculine cut military-style coats, as well as a long white with black detailed designed coat for men, as well as capes. Careful with scissors, Piccioli cut men’s pants above the ankle.
The Garavani Rockstud handbags with red linings like portable alcoves for women were seen on the runway, and briefcases and handbags for men were not amiss. Knee length riding and combat style boots, along with black and white heel shoes for women- and leather gloves are a part of the aesthetic. The collection is filled with feminine and masculine looks that are uncompromising.
Source: forbes.com
