Monastic, artistocratic, modest, and even prim have been terms applied to Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli s Valentino almost since they took over in 2009. Throughout the past year or so, the designers have been putting the accent on the label s (and their own) wilder side, turning most often to animal motifs to get their message across. With Frida Kahlo as one of their jumping-off points for Resort, parrots and monkeys—both of which appeared in the artist s famous self-portraits—played starring roles in their new collection. But if this was the season Chiuri and Piccioli left those early associations behind for good, it s not because of the exotic flora and fauna they depicted via print, embroideries, and appliqués. Nor was it Kahlo s peasant ruffles and suede fringe that did it.
In the end, somewhat ironically, it was an archival moment that gave this collection its vivid zing. A psychedelic print from a 1973 Valentino show—the program notes called it "visually disruptive"—inspired the graphic, multicolored designs that made up the boldest looks in this huge eighty-three-outfit lineup: a chevron mink over a contrasting-stripe frock, checks with zigzags, and a chemisier dress in pixelated stripes. Extrapolating on that idea, they came up with sixties-ish shift dresses in interesting color combinations—lemon yellow and petal pink, or turquoise, Kelly green, and coral—that were almost as eye-catching but easier to wear. Elsewhere, Chiuri and Piccioli continued to explore the butterfly camouflage prints and embroideries that have become best-sellers for the brand. Pretty, but they were no competition for those energetic stripes and colors.
