On a hot summer’s day in Paris, Haute Couture week came to a spectacular end with a highly anticipated show by Valentino. Pierpaolo Piccioli’s autumn/winter 2019 Haute Couture show was always going to be the most talked about show of the week but few anticipated the true emotion that would fill the beautifully lit quintessential greenhouse at the Italian embassy in Paris last night.
An emotional and colourful presentation celebrated inclusivity and the beauty of every woman (a soundtrack featuring Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman cemented this), while the show line up itself included women of all ages, (including iconic model Lauren Hutton, aged 75), nationality and skin colour.
Much like last season, the autumn/winter collection embraced the true craftsmanship of classic couture. Hours of work were celebrated through feathered coats, floral appliqués (which reportedly took 990 hours to create), handwoven tassels, oversized bows, thousands of sequins and gauze squares sewn together by hand – these details showed the work of a team of true masters.
The colour palette felt more springtime than winter which was a beautiful breath of fresh air. Soft pastel tones and strong statement colours were paired together while clashing prints were inspired by flowers. Two-piece loose-fitting trouser and top sets created the classic Valentino silhouette of clean geometric lines, while Red-Riding hood style capes brought a sense of fantasy to the runway.
Accessories came in the form or tribal-style headdresses, inspired by the folk trend. Slouchy coloured boots added a pop of colour and heeled sandals with bow details made for a playful finish.
The beauty look consisted of colourful glitter eye make-up that perfectly fitted with the colourful mood of the show.
The show ended with an emotional finale which saw Piccioli walk the runway with his entire team of seamstresses. The team received a standing ovation from the audience which included Celine Dion, Gwyneth Paltrow and Naomi Campbell – a well-deserved moment of appreciation for these men and women who worked hours and hours to create a very special collection.
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