Valentino supports diversity in Paris | Mexico News | THE IMPARTIAL
PARIS, France.- Fashion prides itself on being able to predict trends and stay ahead of the curve. A joyous, inclusive and long-awaited moment in haute couture was presented by Valentino in Paris.
It was a breath of fresh air when designer Pierpaolo Piccioli broke free of age and race limits.
Many industry insiders have been disappointed in recent years that European fashion houses, some of which have been accused of focusing too heavily on Western culture and even racism, seem behind on issues of body positivity and diversity.
It may interest you: Haute couture returns to Paris with catwalks
A step forward in fashion
For the spring Piccioli took a firm step forward.
Here are some of the highlights from Wednesday's shows at Paris Fashion Week.
Diversity at Valentino
“I have reflected on the body. The repetition of the proportion of the model of the house has always been the rhythm to follow and I thought it was time to change”, said Piccioli. "Creativity, like life itself, is possible only in an environment that is not homogeneous."
It may interest you: Viral: They sell Versace wallet for garbage bags
And with this, the renowned Italian designer entered a new field: A fashion universe of clothing worn by individuals, regardless of their color, age, weight or waist size.
Haute couture, the age-old tradition of exorbitantly priced tailored clothing, has always been governed by strict body shape rules and has traditionally been presented by predominantly white, European-looking models of a certain height and weight.
At the Place Vendome, Piccioli broke those rules.
It may interest you: Anne Hathaway recreates the iconic look of her character in "The Devil Wears Fashion"
unusual models
Voluptuous beauties, models over 60, as well as male and female models from diverse racial backgrounds stepped out for the camera flashes in light, upbeat and playful designs. Some 32 of the 64 styles, just over half, were submitted by models of color.
Some fashion watchers saw it as a moment that "was about time, too," including Long Nguyen, a leading Asian-American fashion critic.
"It's a welcome change at Valentino to see diversity of age, body and race in the haute couture orbit," he said. "It's a process that has taken far too long in luxury fashion houses."
It may interest you: Photos: Dior celebrates fashion craftsmanship in Paris
Nguyen added "there is still a long way to go."
Last week Kenzo unveiled the collection of the first Japanese designer since the house's founder Kenzo Takada. Nigo, 51, is the second Asian designer in charge of a European house along with Filipino-American Rhuigi Villaseñor of Bally. His appointment was seen as a milestone in the luxury industry trying to address issues of race more broadly.
couture anatomy
The diversity was not only felt in the choice of Valentino models but in the styles themselves.
It may interest you: Lanvin with Batman prints on the catwalk in Paris
Valentino's collection was titled "The Anatomy of Haute Couture." The often understated styles were cut from the body and a study in the fine line between minimalism and exuberance.
When you've finished a diet, it's not finished. You need to implement strategies to maintain your new body weight… https://t.co/G8Efb7YcMA
— Sandra Addy ALIAS Training & Nutrition Wed Jun 16 02:13:33 +0000 2021
Minimizing was at times literal for Piccioli, like holes in the sides of pants or vertical cuts in a lime-colored tunic. This trick produced the best styles.
A rectangular white dress in viscose crepe was cut sublimely across the chest for a playful, modern vibe. A navy blue chiffon cape, which was sheer enough to expose nipples and skin, brought the show's title to the heart of his design. It felt like an archetypal piece of sewing.
It may interest you: Eiza González and her fabulous look at Paris Fashion Week
In other models the simplicity was interrupted by flourishes of bows, silk buzzing and bright flashes of color.
The house said 50 meters of cotton faja were hand-sewn by Valentino's army of seamstresses to create a sky-blue cape that was so voluminous it seemed to rise around the model like a smoky halo.
Zuhair Murad Retro Pirates
Zuhair Murad entered the mood of the 1970s.
It may interest you: Saint Laurent a sexy and eighties air at Paris Fashion Week
Murad, one of the two great Lebanese designers presenting shows in Paris together with Eli Saab, brought out sashes, embellishments and long silk dresses, whose accordion pleats swept the floor for a confident and sensual retro mix that with continuous nods to motifs of pirates.
The walkway, on which an old map was printed, featured an important seafaring or piracy theme.
Three-cornered hats that harkened back to 18th-century hats or pirate hats popular in the 1970s were remade in lavender to complement wide leather pirate boots with stylish pointed tips.
It may interest you: Japanese change the background of the wardrobe on the catwalk in Paris
Murad's cuts fell to the natural height of the models' waists whose height was accentuated by skirts. In other models, large necklines and sleeveless tops emphasized feminine curves.
At times the collection felt like a pastiche, but the exuberance and execution produced a sellable and commercially-considered show.
Viktor & Rolf Disappearing Models
Out of the ordinary, playful and morbidly creative.
It may interest you: French designer creates luminous dresses with Google
Dutch designer duo Viktor & Rolf are back on the couture calendar, with a typically shocking show: Ghostly models cowering in their clothes.
A curious visual effect with the shoulders of the dresses gave the appearance that the models shrank as if they suddenly aged. While on their faces, makeup was used to make their faces more angular along with dark lipstick. Long fingernails suggested that a person had been buried alive in styles that required courage to wear.
It could be said that the collection was not for people who do less.
It may interest you: Men's fashion prepares to meet the public again in Paris
Style-wise it felt late '70s. Frill collars mixed with huge ruffles evoking the height of the Neo-Romantic.
But the 25 designs also had an encyclopedic feel, with historical nods like criss-cross Shakespearean waistlines or an oversized raspberry gown with a giant ruffle at the neck that evoked the ruffle collars of Queen Elizabeth I's court.
elie saab blossoms
Elie Saab expressed himself with flowers. The Lebanese designer took the soft silhouettes that have made him a red carpet hit with celebs like Rihanna, Halle Berry and Mila Kunis, and created endless variations with them.
It may interest you: In times of the coronavirus, the Parisian catwalk is transformed into a show
It was thanks to its beautifully embroidered flower designs.
Shimmering petals, in a stunning shade of fuchsia, seemed to envelop the enormous skirt that opened the show and was reminiscent of a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
Huge pink peonies hung from the neck and belly of a model in a matching sleeveless dress in pink silk with a tail that she harkened back to the 1970s.
It may interest you: The future of French fashion opens at Paris Fashion Week
A pink cape evoked a fairytale princess, a terrain the designer has explored with considerable frequency in the past.
Follow us by clicking on the star
