VALENTINO FALL WINTER 2015-16 MEN’S COLLECTION – PARIS FASHION WEEK

Progressive aesthetics. Personalities sharing a vision. Imagining the new Valentino collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were inspired by moments of non-conformist artistic movements, presenting a contemporary synthesis of seminal experiences.

The point of departure is the Ballets Russes, an experiment of total creativity during the 1920s in which Djagilev worked with the most famous artists of the time, from Picasso to Bakst, moving from naturalism to mysterious simultaneous geometry.

The modernist urgency and the radicalism of the color field in the Sixties were, through Futurism and Cubism, an ideal consequence that is showcased in today’s geometric motifs of Australian artist Esther Stewart, with whom the Creative Directors have collaborated, translating her works from the surface, within the structure and construction of the clothes.

The idea is to create a community around the Maison with the knowledge that dialog and crossover produce spores of progress. The symbolic connecting thread, is the savoir-faire of Couture, core value and distinctive trait of Valentino.

The silhouette is sharp and sleek. Essential garments of the male wardrobe have undergone a meticulous transformation, blending embellishment and practicality: oversized PVC zippers close long straight coats, while pockets in a contrasting shade work as color blocks.

Esther Stewart’s compositions trigger a sequence of micro and macro geometric patterns transformed into patchwork, prints and intarsia: in double cashmere for Couture coats and through the textures of Shetland wool sweaters. Camouflage also becomes intarsia. Slim-fit jackets have a high button stance.

Cigarette trousers are worn with sturdy lace-up shoes or nude-colored sneakers with bands in a contrasting shade. The search for aesthetics and function creates a system of graphic patterns on slim-fit parkas, capes and blouson jackets embellished with stripes and geometric motifs.

Heat-bonded flowers decorate lapels on herringbone print blazers and coats. The savoir-faire of Haute Couture, in a masculine version, penetrates everything, producing shifts and changes: the aesthetics of precision typical of the Valentino man become vibrant with an energetic and dynamic aplomb.

Completing the concept, the color palette features idiosyncratic combinations and contrasts: blue, gray, green, red, light blue, pale yellow and burgundy blend in an effortless style that includes and accentuates an offbeat touch.