Valentino s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli make clothes that set girls to dreaming. So it s not surprising that they associate the lower-priced Red Valentino collection with thoughts of fairy tales and fantasies. "It s always about this girl—like in a children s book, she goes on different adventures," Chiuri and Piccioli said in a phone interview. This season, the design duo took her on a series of trips from Saint-Tropez to Hawaii to the Caribbean. They carried the label s whimsical nature all the way. Bright colors like cobalt blue and orange, soft landscape prints, and a series of plaids appeared on flirty frocks that you could easily picture at a poolside soirée. A denim top with ruffled sleeves, eyelet dresses, and a tweed skirtsuit, meanwhile, were among the range s memorable daytime options. Neutral handbags and feminine floral pumps—although a far cry from the clear studded accessories shown in Paris a week ago—were a nice way to accent the looks. A sheer dress and matching capelet embellished with raffia and ribbons looked like it was plucked straight from the runway. That s what will have girls lost in their fantasies all season long.
