“Sartorial savoir-faire is now a private and personal indulgence. Opulence is transformed in a private dimension far from indiscreet eyes. Evocation has replaced urgent definition”.
So now you know!
The notes accompanying the recent Valentino Couture show might be slightly overblown, but there is no denying the absolute beauty of this collection.
Feast your eyes on the exqisitely simple cuts, the elegant balance beween texture and design. Even makes me think of fairy-tale princesses (not usually a look I would advocate!).
Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli are the bright new stars at Valentino and show their love of the feminine with these gorgeous creations.
"We were inspired by the Russian aristocratic émigrés who came to Paris after the Revolution," explained Chiuri, post-show, showing story boards of old black and white photos of long necked beauties in paired down museum-like clothes.
"They had nothing but their grace but used this as a weapon to add to their regality. We have used simple, cleanness of lines and let fabric speak. This way it is more modern."
Couture is the pinnacle of the fashion world and how different it is from the brash, shoddy, frenetic tat that embodies most of the high street.
Most of us will never even get to see one of these creations, let alone wear one. But we can be inspired by the clean lines, the beauty of simplicity, the emphasis of quality over quantity.
This is fashion as art, and I love it.
