A ’70s vibe has boogied into several pre-fall collections. Giambattista Valli tailored his bell-bottoms lean and sharp, heightening the sleek, urbane chic he’s plying this season.
There were plenty of his signature body-skimming minidresses, and striking thigh-high boots with a pearl-studded heel, making it a particularly leggy effort for the Paris-based designer.
He fused a nylon bomber with tweed jacket to produce an eye-catching hybrid. It captured the dynamic, yet nonchalant attitude he was after.
Instead of standing around posing for the look book, his models stride past the camera like they’re in a hell of a hurry.
Valli didn’t forsake his obsession with floral prints, dense ornamentation and shine — almost all tweeds were flecked with Lurex — but he managed to make even sequin-paved looks as soft and light as knitwear.
“I love to give comfort and freedom to women,” he shrugged over the line from his haute couture studio, where he was readying looks for the runway next week.
The pre-fall collection had a strong daywear focus, and the denim flares nudged Valli toward a grouping in blues and chocolate browns, a new palette for him. “Blue is the new black,” he declared.
But fear not: There were shots of Valli pink in squishy handbags, shoes festooned with neat bows, and red dresses with sprays of tulle, full sleeves or romantic draping.
