At the beating heart of Paris Fashion Week, Maison Valentino unveiled its purest and most potent vision of femininity. With the unmistakable touch of Pierpaolo Piccioli, the Spring/Summer 2024 collection titled “L’École” is a symphony in white, an anthem for female emancipation, and a provocation to the fashion realm.
Presented in the historic temple of art, the École des beaux-arts, every piece of the collection is a poem dedicated to the female form. Piccioli, renowned for his critical gaze towards the social and political context, uses fabric as a medium to tell a story of femininity untethered from clichés. It’s a battle cry in a world seemingly backtracking on women’s rights and image. The event’s muse, Kaia Gerber, opened the runway with a potent statement: a dress that celebrates nudity and purity. The dominant white in the collection is a nod to the historic collection of Valentino Garavani from Sala Bianca, a benchmark for Piccioli. Yet, it’s not merely about color. It’s about the message.The “altorilievo” technique used in the collection is a celebration of art and craftsmanship. This isn’t just embroidery: it’s the construction of the dress itself. Fantastic creatures, baroque foliage, and fruit come to life, crafting a silhouette that embraces and complements the female body.
On the runway horizon, the final stylistic gem emerged: the VLogo Moon Bag by Valentino Garavani, a perfect embodiment of tradition and innovation. This bag, delicate as a lunar embrace and commanding as a jewel, positioned itself at the crossroads of art and function. The elliptical V chain that adorns the piece gracefully encircled the models’ wrists, turning an everyday accessory into a hallmark of elegance.
Piccioli, with his unique vision, managed to transcend the traditional concept of fashion, proposing a dialogue between garments and those who wear them that resonates beyond fabric. He showcased femininity in its purest form, not defining it but allowing it to define itself. His “L’École” collection was not just a tribute to femininity but a revolution of the concept itself. As he brilliantly conveyed in every single piece, true fashion has the power to challenge, inspire, and above all, celebrate.
And as the lights dimmed and the final note of FKA twigs’ performance faded into the air, one thing was clear: Valentino didn’t just present a collection, they paid homage to women in all their nuances and strength. The runway wasn’t just a stage for garments, but an altar upon which the woman was presented in her purest and most powerful form.
