The Bigger, The Better
1947–1953
Pierpaolo Picciol, creative director at Valentino, created a whimsical collection of colorful and neutral separates and gowns embellished with flowers, beading, and feathers and adorned with big bows and the draping and bunching of fabric. The 2019 Valentino Haute Couture show did not hold anything back with its voluminous and flowy garments walking down the runway.
Very much resembling Balenciaga’s styling in the 1950s, we can see Picciol was inspired by the fabric having a mind of its own and captivating the wearer and onlooker. This structure and movement of the gowns are similar to Balenciaga, but the collection also has many details that drastically differ from the 1950s pieces. The embellishments were ubiquitous: beading and embroidery along the hems and skirts, feathers filling dresses and reaching out of collars, fabrics of sequins and colorful floral and scenic prints were prominent, along with ruffles, pleats, and bright colors. The show was exciting and vast, yet each piece was tasteful.
While many of the pieces appeared to effortlessly ‘engulf’ the model, the overwhelming amounts of fabric were paired with tasteful cutouts and the showing of skin. The 2019 Valentino Haute Couture show exceeded expectations and the inspirations that were gathered from Balenciaga, using his 1950s aesthetic as a refined baseline.
Works Cited
Valentino. Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2019 (Look 70). Jul. 2019. WGSN Catwalk Gallery. WGSN. Web. 23 Jul. 2019. https://www.wgsn.com/catwalk_gallery/#gender=2&season=0&city=0&show=55896.
Valentino. Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2019 (Look 52). Jul. 2019. WGSN Catwalk Gallery. WGSN. Web. 23 Jul. 2019. https://www.wgsn.com/catwalk_gallery/#gender=2&season=0&city=0&show=55896.
Balenciaga. Women’s Ensemble (Coat Dress and Shoes). 1950. LACMA Collection. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Web. 20 Jul. 2019. https://collections.lacma.org/node/2259905.
Penn, Irving. Balenciaga Sleeve (Régine Debrise), Paris. 1950. The Met Collection. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. 20 Jul. 2019. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/714674?&searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=balenciaga +1950&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=2.
