The notion of tweaking eveningwear for day is taking off this week. Alber Elbaz did it at Lanvin, and at Valentino, Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri launched a capsule collection called Techno Couture that reimagines some of the house signatures—the roses, the ruffles, the ruching—in easy-to-wear stretch wool. The resulting black and white dresses are still plenty feminine, but you don t have to wait for a big night to pull them off. As in the duo s recent runway collections, the look was younger and hipper than it was during Valentino Garavani s own heyday, an effect compounded by a new focus on daywear. Nylon trenches in foundation colors topped knee-length lace frocks, some of which came with simple T-shirt-like bodices. Hanging on racks in the studio were flaring seventies-style trousers and elongated cardigans, the most covetable with a black mink front and a knit back. Another gem was tucked away in the showroom: A stripey turtleneck sweater fused with lace and shown with a leopard-spot A-line skirt (not pictured in the slideshow) looks destined for the front row at fashion shows next month—who will be the lucky insider to score those samples? A trio of puffer coats drove home the designers message: Valentino isn t just a red-carpet brand. Then again, if you ask us, a long, black lace and organza dress with a slight empire waist and a removable pearl collar would look smashing on a certain pregnant starlet on the awards show circuit.
