Fashion and dance are my two loves, and so it made sense for me to be totally captivated by Valentino’s AW/16 collection, which was shown at Paris Fashion Week on March 8.
Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli appear to have taken inspiration from the elegant style of the ballet, both those who dance, and those who watch. The show was abound with tulle, ribbon-style belts, synched waists and bardot necklines, creating elegant elongated silhouettes that practically floated down the catwalk.
To start off, however, the designers showcased a much darker version of the ballet look, with only tight buns and tulle skirts nodding towards their elegant inspiration. A tougher, more gothic and streetwise take on the ballerina was brought to life through the monochromatic colour scheme, with biker boots, leather bags and jackets, and long, oversized coats adding to the aesthetic.
Following a grittier start, the show proceeded to display more obviously ballerina-inspired looks, as black biker boots evolved into nude, sheer dresses featuring plunging necklines and delicate embellishment. The shapeless black coats became floor sweeping numbers in khaki, rose, merlot and camel shades – functional, but nonetheless offering an elegant simplicity as well as drawing attention to the elongated silhouettes of the dancer muses.
Feathers are furs were also out in full force. A fur bolero jacket draped over a sheer white gown evoked the image of the lady-who-lunches, just on her way to watch the New York Ballet’s latest production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The prima-ballerina was similarly captured in a beautiful feather and tulle gown, suggesting some serious Swan Lake vibes.
Despite playing off the classic prima-ballerina look against that of the dark, risk-taking black swan throughout, the show ended with a homage to the more traditional ballerina. A nude gown with sparkling silver embellishment and a wrap style neckline with cami straps graced the catwalk, something which wouldn’t have looked out of place if the model happened to be Uliana Lopatkina taking her final bow.
It was as if Chiuri and Piccioli had transported their audience to the theatre – their inspiration was clearly distinguishable, and their contrasting of gothic and girly certainly paid off.
Beth Thomas 