Because he’s so darned busy with his main line and Moncler Gamme Rouge and who knows what else, the show for Giambattista Valli’s second line, Giamba, didn’t happen this season. This reviewer was delighted to see it on the rail simply for the chance to examine up close the work of Italy’s finest designer (when it comes pretty-pretty ethereal wear with just a hint of edge). It didn’t disappoint. Giamba skews toward “youthfulness”—use that word and you must be old—and here, his prism for off-kilter-ness was an Afghan-heavy reboot of the 1960s. The gates-of-consciousness jacquard on the body of a white fur-fringed coat, coupled with a hoodie or a minidress under a shaggy pink gilet was the stuff of a Keith Richards flashback. There were Biba-ish full dresses—tres Talitha Getty—in polyester that were patterned with clouds, Saturn, and the hand of Hamsa staring back at you to ward off evil spirits (and maybe open flames too).
This was not an entirely turn-on-tune-in-drop-out 2.0 collection. There were some vixen-ish lace strafed tops, many fine macramé gowns, minidresses and bombers, and some fun star-studded sweats. As an entry-level dose of Giambattista Valli, visiting Giamba seemed a trip well worth taking.
