Steve Barth
Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli drew inspiration from the 1980s for his Spring-Summer 2023 Haute Couture collection, entitled ‘Le Club Couture’. The show was held under Pont Alexandre III in Paris, and was attended by celebrities such as Anne Hathaway and Kylie Minogue. Piccioli’s collection reinvented many Valentino codes for today, while still referencing the clubland of the 80s. He created mini tops made of tulle bows, hiking skirt lengths up the thigh and playing with the house’s DNA, such as a cloud-like evening jacket made of chartreuse hued metallic beading and a jumpsuit composed of thousands of feathers. The collection also featured co-ed looks with 18 menswear looks out of a total of 88, with guys in metallic superhero redingotes, ruffled poet’s blouses and sheer lace trenches. The event was accompanied by a sensational retro futurist mashup soundtrack by DJ Andy Butler, and founder Valentino’s elements from the 80s, such as polka dots and high glamour, were brought into the present day. Piccioli expressed that couture can be democratic and is not about the number of ruffles on a dress, but rather about creating a manifesto on artistic freedom.
