Seeing Red at Valentino Pre-Fall 2019
Valentino, a brand whose DNA is practically synonymous with the color red in all its iterations (be it crimson or burgundy), has found yet another way to get us all seeing scarlet. Pierpaolo Piccioli staged his first-ever co-ed show for the brand early this morning in Tokyo, Japan, a double-presentation of clothes so drenched in cardinal red that even the finale included a red rose petal rain.
The collection, in many ways, followed the rules set forth by the house’s DNA: ultra-luxe materials (pleated silks and chiffons) make up the bulk of the womenswear; a delicate shoulder and romantic sensibilities still rule the school. As Piccioli once said that the house’s aesthetic affords him the ability “To understand the rules in order to break and rewrite them,” he still introduces design elements formerly unused by the brand. Puffers and down jackets have bled into both menswear and womenswear collections for Valentino’s pre-fall, and men’s bucket hats were brimmed with feathers. No wonder Piccioli is rightfully heralded as the ultimate in balancing convention and innovation.
