Valentino Still Has It During Paris Fashion Week

They still have the charms that made their way to many people's hearts.

On Friday, Valentino gave its abridged fashion audience a taste of real Parisian life. Its show featured flower stands, traditional bistro chairs, and tables at which waiters served wine to guests such as singer Giveon and “The Crown” star Vanessa Kirby.

Members of the public stood outside the venue in disbelief, watching from real-life cafes in Le Marais. They, too, got a piece of the action when, to thunderous applause, the models spilled out onto the real Parisian streets after the show, dressed in a kaleidoscope of sparkling, color-rich ensembles.

Here are some of the highlights from the Spring 2022 collections, which were unveiled on Friday:

VALENTINO

Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino let his hair down in the heart of Paris' most fashionable and streetwise district, Le Marais. “On the Streets of Paris” became a vibrant and varied collection as a result. His goal for the spring season was to show fashion as it should be - on the street. And he did it in a literal sense.

There were gleaming gold sequins, vibrant color, baggy jeans, and sheeny Juliette sleeves, all of which screamed 1980s. This season, the Italian designer went in a disco-inspired direction, which was a welcome change.

Despite the street-musing, the designs remained refined: one loose, menswear suit in emerald had a delicate lavender silk foulard collar flapping out from underneath. This collection was made of silky material, which gave it a real sense of opulence.

“(This is) street not meant for streetwear, but conceived... as real life,” Piccioli's house clarified.

After the show, guests were given bouquets of local flowers sourced from real flower sellers in the Ile-de-France region, and the models strutted around the city streets to thunderous applause, just like true Parisians.

ISSEY MIYAKE HAS A SOFTNESS.

Issey Miyake's collection, which included swimming caps and brightly colored hats resembling marine creatures, was inspired by the elasticity of water.

But it was shape in its purest form that kicked off Friday's show, which was set against a minimalist square paneling backdrop.

The spring mood was set by a sporty vest in a pale pastel. It was the top half of a gown with a skirt made of flattened Japanese lanterns. The 40 looks were all based on the idea of flattened, three-dimensional shapes. The lantern motif reappeared on several key pieces, including one with a talisman-like hole on the model's chest.

The Japanese house, which is known for its use of techno fabrics, used elastic pleating to give the bottoms of its lightweight dresses structure and bounce instead of regular lantern ribbing. This was dubbed the "link rings" motif by the house.

It was a gentle and wearable show.

SHE-WOLF OF WALL STREET BY RAF SIMONS

For years, Paris Fashion Week has blurred the lines between men's and women's fashion. For his spring show, Raf Simons took a tried-and-true theme and pushed it a little further.

This was a collection about androgyny in the workplace, which is probably the last place that comes to mind when thinking of a non-binary safe space.

It was a great time.

A finely tailored business-like jacket filed by above a gray skirt with a flounce cut on the bias in the Bourse de la Commence. Models wore their hair in long, non-gender-specific grunge styles that were all the rage in the mid-1990s.

Simple oversize tops and large swaths of bare fabric added to the Belgian designer's Minimalist touch, which is often associated with the former Dior designer.

However, the collection featured a splash of color to break up the otherwise monochrome palette. A black jacket was infused with red prints, while blue text on a skirt appeared to have been sprayed on as graffiti.

MCQUEEN IS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Because many fashion houses only have a digital presence during Fashion Week, some are launching targeted campaigns to promote their collections. One of them is Alexander McQueen. This season, the brand launched a global art-fashion campaign, enlisting photographers to photograph their popular Tread Slick book in a natural setting. Katie Burnett, Max Farago, Gwen Trannoy, and Charlie Gates photographed the chucky soled boots by the water's edge, on rocks, next to flowers, and covered in foam bubbles as part of the project. It's probably the most romantic part of fashion week.


Krees De Guia

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