Fashion has always been a get-a-way, a scapegoat for the crazy reality around me at the time.
Closing the door in my room and watching fashion shows and documentaries made me a functioning addict for fashion. The art in physical form was something that I saw myself doing in years to come. Over the years, I’ve learned that fashion is more than clothes; it’s a way of life. It’s a continuously changing art form where you can express your personality and emotions daily. Fashion is the one thing that separates one from another, which is something you hardly see anymore.
For the longest, I never had a favorite brand. I believed that all fashion was good fashion ( which it is.) It wasn’t until a cold night in December that I had my fashion house awakening. I was 16 years old in New York City, a place I pleaded to go to because of the history of fashion and culture that was and continues to be present. My parents and I walked into a store considered the crème de la crème of fashion houses, but I’ve never kept my eye on the brand.
I walked in, soaking in all the luxury and impeccable clothes. I believe this is what heaven is like, surrounded by angelic pieces of art that I would someday hope to have in my graces. I was in awe the entire time. My dad, of course, wanted to go upstairs to the menswear, and this is where the love of Valentino occurred. We were met by a sales associate, a well-tailored sales associate who, with eagerness, toured us around the menswear collections.
There, he stopped us by this tailored coat with an array of sharp lines and shapes that brought the missing pieces together. It was indeed one of a kind and something so well made that it caused me to look at fashion differently. It was a coat from the Valentino Fall 2016 Menswear collection. The collection embodied the Native American culture and American Western aesthetics that gave off cool tones and warmth. It was there that I fell in love with Valentino. It was there that the dozens of runway show to come, I would fall in love with fashion over and over again.
The Valentino house is one of prestige and heritage. Founded in 1959 by Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, the brand quickly gained success for creating some of Hollywood’s most iconic ensembles.
Each look from Valentino is perfectly tailored and suitable for a woman to feel exceptional and chic.
Sixty-three years later, the Valentino fashion house continues to uphold the iconic attributes that made the brand a household name.
On July 8, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino’s creative director, painted the historic Rome Spanish Steps with an array of rainbow colors that catalyzed an emotion of enthusiasm and blissfulness with what was ahead of his audience.
Look one: an over-accentuated rose ordeal laced the beautifully melanated model as she cast down the substantial Rome stairs.
The rose occurrence did not stop with look number one. Next, look number six; the rose appeared but this time on a male model, in a relaxed, red monochromatic look. Again, the 3D rose was set on the model’s left shoulder as it commanded the audience’s attention.
It was only fitting that the fashion house would open its show with a bold red look that incorporated over-the-top roses.
Valentino’s most famed quote is, “I think that a woman dressed in red is always magnificent.” The first look was a beautiful tribute to the original ‘Valentino Red’ dress, ‘Fiesta’ from the fashion house’s first Spring/Summer collection in 1959. Roses were a central focal point with the Fiesta dress.
This bold, dynamic collection, similar to the valiant fall 2021 couture show, featured roses made from fabric or printed on garments. Roses symbolize romance, love, beauty, and courage. These adjectives are attributed to the Valentino name and the fall 2022 couture collection. The setting was Rome in the summertime. The skies are clear, and the sun is luminescent and intense as it hits on Rome’s Spanish Steps, which are sacred in history and importance. In that case, history and significance are what evoke the Valentino house.
Ostrich feathers seemed to bloom from the model’s heels, arm sleeves, and head. Not only did the feathers have an emboldened look to the collection, but they also had powerful meaning.
Ostrich feathers are seen as a powerful image of truth and purity. The Valentino house radiates purity as the collections never seem forced and consistently portray forthright naturalness as models grace their presence at any venue hosted for the fashion house runway shows.
Sheer fabric agilely walked down the “runway”; these looks expressed freedom in all forms. Yet, even with the sheer fabric, Roses still played a significant part.
“I think that a woman dressed in red is always magnificent.”
Valentino Garavani
Trendy fashion is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s honestly what keeps the fashion industry going forward. A particular trend that I noticed throughout this collection was elbow-length gloves.
Elbow-length gloves were popular way back in the day and are slowly having a resurgence. You can expect to see this eloquent trend in the upcoming fall season. You can dress the trend up with a high-class look or shoot for a more grunge rock star look (which is popular nowadays.)
Baby doll dresses which are an ode to the Valentino aesthetic from the 60s and 70s, had a rejuvenation in the 2022 couture collection. They were desirable looks especially look number 30 with the heart-shaped strapless dress that did numbers on the runway.
At the end of the runway show, Piccioli had his atelier do the final walk with him. Allowing the talent behind the collection to be showcased was one of the highlights of the night. Most of the time, people in the background go unnoticed, but in a way, they are the heart and soul of a collection and brand.
Overall, the 102 look collection each has a beautiful meaning to them. Each look was curated in a colorful light that exuded beauty and freedom. Valentino, for sure, will always have a special place in my heart, and collections such as this one are the very reason why.
–STAY TUNED FOR MORE DOPE FASHION
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