There’s no doubt that reality has bitten us quite hard; the pandemic has us questioning what’s familiar, what’s meaningful, what’s altogether useless. Horizons have apparently narrowed; the scope has somehow become more short-term and realistic, and designers have been quick to sharpen their creative focus, adapting to new mindsets. Acknowledging the changed circumstances, Pierpaolo Piccioli updated his approach at Red Valentino. “This season it was time to bring it to the street, exploring a new sense of authenticity and independence,” he said via email. The look book was lensed in the busy neighborhood surrounding Rome’s Stazione Termini (the city’s railway station) by Italian street photographer Niccoló Berretta. It can’t get more authentic than this.
Piccioli blended his flair for dreamy high-style with a younger, free-spirited, and energetic spin. He played with ample, blown-up volumes and with asymmetries, juxtaposing romantic point-d’ésprit with crisp techno faille and indulging in a couture-inspired abundance of ruffles and bows. He seemed to delight in the process. An oversized black cotton sweatshirt was given huge “wings” of ruched nylon; a boxy T-shirt morphed into a pretty mini party dress via the intervention of a tulle flounce. On the same note, a crisp pale pink shirt revealed a spliced back, trimmed with curly ruches. Paired with matching hot-pants, it will appeal to young Red Valentino lovers eager to introduce some romance into their real-life, street-ready wardrobe.
