Paris - RTW SS13 - Valentino

City: Paris
Season: Ready-To-Wear, Spring/Summer 2013
Show: Valentino

Last season they took top-to-toe leather and somehow managed to make it the opposite of fetishistic, now for Spring/Summer 2013 Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have reinvented another Valentino staple: lace. Whereas other Italian-born houses (Dolce & Gabbana comes to mind) have a tendency to exploit lace to antimacassar-like extremes, Pier Paolo and Maria Grazia know where and how to use their scalloping and guipure, and the result is never anything less than utter elegance. While Chiuri and Piccioli have cited Rome as a key source of inspiration, spring’s separates nevertheless exuded a quintessentially Milanese polish. The dresses were a different story, however, and they communicated Cinderella-ness and sophistication all at the same time. An embellished organza gown worn by Kasia Struss (centre) was the real highlight of Spring/Summer 2013, while divine new faces such as Marine Deleeuw (top left) and Valery Kaufman (centre right) showcased smart looks that were shot through with Valentino’s signature romantic feel.

This piece was originally published on alisonlaurabell.tumblr.com in October 2012.