Buttoned-up, bourgeois values have been on the agenda this season, though there is a long-established faction of Parisian high society that is also deeply bohemian. Giambattista Valli had those free-spirited, forthright women on his mind this season. “It’s about living without restrictions and free from conventions,” explained Valli, “Betty Catroux called it le gout de louche.”
The provocative images of Guy Bourdin, in which red painted lips and fingernails form a sensuous web, said it best. They were among several erotic references for the designer’s show in Paris this afternoon. Prettiness is a natural instinct for Valli and Monet’s idyllic gardens of Giverny satisfied his need for uncomplicated beauty. In that sense, the coquettish, micro floral-print dresses were the most straightforward rendering of his vision for Fall.
There’s been a moody undercurrent to the collections in Europe overall, and often Valli’s most whimsical impulses were toughened up with an ’80s attitude. Think, fringed leather jackets, bombers, and oversize blazers. The marabou-covered strappy sandals that swished the floor like decadent feather dusters added a nice touch to the collection, as did bead-trimmed neck scarves.
Valli is known for his sumptuous fabric choices and this season he seemed to be experimenting with alternatives to fur. There were neat shearling jackets in place of traditional mink, and the zebra-print velvet jacquard trench was the chicest answer to the idea of cruelty-free here—something ethically minded It girls all around the world will appreciate.
