Giamba, as his fans call him, is fond of saying that his women live “everywhere and nowhere.” The ultimate luxury-lifestyle nomads, they are at home anywhere they go, from Los Angeles, London, and Paris to St.-Tropez, where the designer has opened his most recent store. Just this week, news dropped that Valli now has minority backing in Kering. So you could say that his horizons are looking brighter than ever.
The designer is also fond of saying that each new collection is like a fresh chapter in the same book. For Pre-Spring, he’s turned the page to “nomadic eclecticism.” There’s a kaleidoscope of things happening here: With “dandelion field,” “marigold ramage,” hydrangea, peony, and lily of the valley jacquards and prints in soft, flattering shades of pistachio, pink, and yellow, the designer riffs on cultures from India to Japan. Embroidery takes pride of place, with encrusted lace, flower streamers, and multicolored edging on bouclé, tulle, Chantilly lace, and netting.
True to form, the designer explores variations in black and white, with macramé and tiers of lace and St. Gallen embroideries. Amid those looks, mainly in black, white, and red, a sleeveless “vertical patchwork” jacket in printed or plain mink, goat skin fur, and beaver makes an edgier statement, as does a sleeved chevron coat in white, black, red, and leopard print. Other statement pieces include lady-in-red occasion dresses, jacquard biker jackets, and a silk taffeta windbreaker—a new iteration of an idea that’s proven popular among Valli’s girls in the past few seasons.
Another one of Valli’s quotables is that he only does 50 percent of the work—the woman who wears it does the rest, mixing his pieces as she sees fit. This season, the designer has made that job easy. The real trick will be walking in those ivory laser-cut St. Gallen lace-up boots.
