A Sobering Thought, As Valentino Gets Serious
Review of Valentino Fall 2024 Men’s Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
It is a sign of the times when an artist renowned for their wondrous ways around a colour palette, chooses to put the paintbox down for a season and take to the more sobering occupation of dealing with – and catering to – reality.
As a kingmaker in the field of colour, you only have to look to the genius of the PP Pink collection and ensuing campaign for reference. As well as the fact that Pierpaolo Piccioli is one of the few designers who have facilitated the solidification of the association of a specific colour with a fashion house, brand, or artist. The Pink PP colourway was immortalised in history through a partnership with colour institute Pantone, the first luxury brand in Europe to do so. And at the time he was in good company, as there was also Yves Klein Blue (or International Klein Blue) a daring shade of cobalt named for artist Yves Klein. Nicoll Blue, a shade of muted blue, which was commissioned by the British Fashion Council and Pantone in 2017 to commemorate the late fashion designer Richard Nicoll. And British-Indian Sculptor Anish Kapoor, who acquired the exclusive rights to use the blackest shade of black in the world, known to absorb 99.96% of the light that hits it.
Such is the importance of colour to the creative directors tenure, that when the majority of it is absent, the world seems off-kilter. Akin to replaying that moment in the Wizard of Oz when the screen goes from black and white to technicolour, but in reverse. But again, these are sobering times and with the fashion industry in flux many luxury fashion houses have had to take a hard look at the bottom line and consider the development of clothes which meet real needs for their customer, for a season at least. Which is not to say there were not moments – or flashes – of exuberance in knitted rollnecks (always a great colour vehicle and layering piece), wide-leg trousers, and hooded sweatshirts. While accessories – in the form of practical leather carry-all totes – were used as vessels of vibrancy, being some of the few moments of joy which permeated a collection which focussed on clean lines and silhouettes grounded in reality.
THE BUZZWORDS
Shades of grey, seriously smart, warm weather essentials
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look #50
A moment of unbridled hope, rendering this menswear classic in a bright turquoise was a defiant break from the rest of the collection, breaking the mould with an unexpected hit of an all-over bright.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Despite a mostly sober collection, with moments of lightness through flashes of primary pops, the finale closed to the hopeful sound of Whitney Houston’s “Your love, is my love”, a song about resilience, hinting at the possibility that this seriousness is merely a way to get through the interim, and in due course the vibrancy and chroma-colour we have come to expect from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Valentino will be back for his spring show in June. When the world, it is hoped, will itself be in a better place to welcome the revival.
