Valentino Resort 2015

by Paige Reddinger

It was as if Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccoli designed two separate resort collections this season. First up were the house’s signature romantic dresses in lace with intricate beading or ruffled chiffon. If there was a bit of a Mexican sensibility, that’s because Frida Kahlo served as the design duo’s inspiration this season. You could easily picture the late painter with her floral halo in any of these pieces, but it was her motifs that really stood out: monkeys, parrots, and all kinds of flora that accentuated the dresses, either in embroidery or as a print. The results were absolutely stunning, and the pieces exhibited Chiuri and Piccoli’s outstanding talent with details that really make their clothes feel and look so rich. It was the kind of thing we’ve luckily been able to come to expect from the duo.

What came as a bit of a step outside that aesthetic were the eye-popping graphic patterns in a rainbow of colors, inspired by an archival Valentino print from 1973. The re-edition of this pattern came in blocks, stripes, and zig zags and found its way onto fur vests and coats, matching tunic tops and wide leg pants, pleated skirts, ’70s-style dresses, and a whole slew of accessories and footwear, including Lucite clutches and cuff bracelets. The  pattern is so visually arresting that the power of brand association will no doubt be through the roof on this one. Out of the slew of multi-colored totes, shoulder bags, and clutches in the print, there’s sure to be one or several that hit “It” bag status. As for the clothing? It will no doubt elicit an, “Oh, is that a Valentino?” from one envious woman to another around the globe.

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