Italian Fashion label Valentino adds a twist to Vibrant colors to classic gowns for Paris Show

A very different creative dimension of Pierpaolo Piccioli's creativity dominated the Valentino Spring / Summer 2020 series. The man who was behind the voluminous gowns took a different path this time, as soft gowns can be seen covering almost every designer runway. The collection was linear, well-finished, structured, fish-tailed and modular, yet drenched in vibrant prints and patterns. "When you talk about couture, you talk about dreams, but dreams are the expression of something which is subconscious," said Pierpaolo Piccioli about the collection.

The show was about expressing a sense of freedom and breaking away from inhibitions. He fails to be a storyteller just like Cristobal Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Charles James. He believes in the craftsmen of Valentino giving a new spin to form and emotion. And that's what we had the sheer pleasure of seeing at Valentino's Haute Couture show. There were a lot of print, ruffles, bold colours, cummerbunds, bows, frills and opera gloves. It was a pleasure to see Pierpaolo Piccioli break away from the traditional huge ball gowns to find a new silhouette of his own.

There were a lot of pants, more frames, and it was all about getting more bulk in a way that only the wearer could understand. Mid-riffs were accentuated with cummerbunds, and the Basques were still attached to the gowns.

Recurring Valentino red with dramatic ruffles and peplum tops were tied with a sash. Opera gloves were sprouting frills and gowns were pinched in at the waist with bows. There was a rhapsody of colours such as parma purple, mint, pink, scarlet but also stunning pieces in black.

Apart from the long feather earrings, the series wasn't high on the accessories. What we liked was Piccioli's quest to find new silhouettes through his embrace of vibrant colours and prints. More power to big bows holding a dress together and sheer printed blouses with ruffles for a skirt.