VALENTINO SPRING SUMMER 2015 WOMEN’S COLLECTION – PARIS FASHION WEEK

Travels in Italy. The search for roots that tell a modern-day story without nostalgia. For Valentino’s Spring/Summer 2015, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli are inspired by the 18th century tradition of the Grand Tour, an educational trip taken by cultured young Europeans to explore the art, philosophy and traditions of Italy.

Retracing the different stages of the journey, the heart of which lies in Rome and in its vestiges of classicism, they come to understand its profound raison d’être: travel as a storyline and instrument of knowledge, a way to observe reality with a keen eye and recount it with a free mind.

This collection is filled with a continuous sense of wonder. It traces a path amidst iconic images and memories, wisdom and knowledge, while maintaining a light, airy note.

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli layer universal fragments – views and souvenirs, scarf prints and baroque blooms, classic ruins and seascapes, virginal purity and the sense of superb artisan craftsmanship – and use them to compose an impalpable and personal language that describes the figure of a fragile yet strongly present woman.

The silhouette is a vertical line that vibrates, barely revealing the sensuality of the body. Dresses with dazzling prints, motifs, and patterns come in archetypical shapes: tunics, simple yet romantic long high-waisted dresses, and short pinafore dresses with low-cut backs that are seductive but protect against indiscreet gazes.

Double linen coats are worn with pragmatic naturalness over blouses and flowing trousers. Lace and eyelet lace have the precious purity of a bridal trousseau. Travel as an accumulation of notes and memories suggests the spontaneous gesture of closing a bag with a scarf or tying amulets and souvenirs to sandal laces so that they will not get lost.

Colors are combined like memories, some faded and others vivid: white, light pastels, linden green, baby blue, and vibrant notes of indigo blue, cinnamon, military green, and black. Fabrics and materials are classic: wool, linen double, silk, crepe, and leather.

Accessories affirm the itinerant spirit of the collection: flat sandals for traveling and light high-heeled footwear. There are simple shoulder bags with a clean design and metal grommets, one-handle bags, and constructed shoulder bags in patchwork leather printed with scarf-like motifs. Small marine-themed jewelry worn in the hair or on the fingers recreates fantastic itineraries.

Travel is a magical tale: outdoor views and landscapes rewrite inner worlds and vice versa.