Valentino S/S 09 Paris

[helmut.newton]

This was a beautiful collection, but like last season, very understated.

I think Alessandra was paving the way for a new, modern and feminine Valentino aesthetic. She was developing that aesthetic, slowly, and obviously it takes a designer more than 2 seasons to establish any kind of vocabulary.

It's a shame that in the end, money and business wins out over good design.

In the end, her clothes were beautiful and diffused from the Couture, but not overtly commercial, which obviously was a problem for the people running Valentino.

I'm so ANGRY that this ultimately came down to money and business principles!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Miss Dalloway]

This is not Valentino imo, i can see why the people behind the brand didnt like her work.

But she has true talent i think no one can deny that, i hope she opens her own brand i would love to see her stick around.

 

[Muse_Views]

There are some beautiful moments here, and the staging is just exquisite. It might just be the photographs but it seems to be a very melancholy show. So sad...

Allessandra was really great for Valentino, there was this almost science-fiction meets classical romanticism vision that was devoid of cliche and costume but instead infused the brand with a new meaning. I guess the owners still want the 80's rich b*tch look for the house...

May because there are far more RB's around than even in the '80's.

Having said that, I think this particular collection lacks coherency; an identifiable je ne sais quoi that says, "Ah, that is Valentino!" Something that is absolutely necessary for such an iconic brand that does not thrive on flaunting its brand/logo like Chanel or LV, etc...

 

[dior_couture1245]

style.com video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uq8B2xar-k

First of all, I find it totally offensive that style.com only felt the need to dedicate less than 2 minutes to this fashion tragedy...and then give over 3 minutes to established designers like Chanel, Givenchy, Dries, Stella...and they even gave Dolce & Gabbana over 4 minutes!

Second of all...it's really bizarre, and very cool at the same time, that the gown on Olga looks very green in the video, but in pictures it looks very teal/ very blue!

 

[virus_slayer]

i actually like this collection..

 

[ponytrot]

i'm so sad that this is Alessandra's last show for Valentino

i really like this collection, and the couture collection she delivered- so full of romance.

 

[voguelover94]

I like it but it's not very Valentino.

 

[ponytrot]

Your right, I don't associate Valentino with soft and delicate, either...I guess the right adjectives would be "ladies-who-lunch" and "gutless-celebrity-garb."

Anyway, that's why I loved Alessandra's work for Valentino. It was like she was taking the archives and then re-designing them for a modern woman...a woman who likes to wear flats, a woman on the go, and a woman who needs more in her wardrobe than evening gowns...and if Giambattista takes over the house, Valentino will once again be a cliche of couture and celebrity glamour...I think it will loose all relevance that Alessandra was trying to establish at the house.

so true!

i can see Valentino becoming tacky trash again...

 

[Navygreen]

When was Valentino "tacky trash"? Are you sure you're not confusing him with Cavalli?

 

[ponytrot]

^ i'm thinking along the lines of Elie Saab actually...

tacky trash is probably a poor choice of words i admit maybe cliche is more appropriate?

as in nice, but barbie-like; i like the romance and lightness in alessandra's work whereas Valentino is to me, quite glitzy and overt.

 

[Andymoon]

I love it, some pieces look very chanel but it's ok. Alessandra rocks.

 

[nyc_art_style]

i must say that these gloves are the best accessories of the season by far. they're amazing.

 

[Dkammern]

When was Valentino "tacky trash"? Are you sure you're not confusing him with Cavalli?

well... it looks like maybe he wanted to be remembered a bit tacky... just to pick a few (note this is his very last collection)
do you honestly find these elegant and refined? honest, can you picture your favorite star wearing this just anywhere and not looking stupid beyond believe?
is this the kind of retrospective work we want from a couple of shoes&bag guys?

je vous presente my lamp, my sofa, and my courtains (in no particular order)
courtesy of style.com

 

[dior_couture1245]

^^Agreed. That last dress on Natasha is really awful.

Valentino was certainly capable of designing a stunning evening gown...but it was time to move on, and Alessandra was...but now I guess it's time to regress.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

I still wouldnt call that exactly trash, but ya those looks are not great.

 

[Dkammern]

^right! not trash... but i jsut had the feeling that with time, and all the madness that he was finally leaving, and that a pre-gucci girl was being given the direction positon... maybe the whole valentino thing had been a little idealized.
i figured we just needed to bring him down to earth a bit

valentino was such a prolific artist that the new designers will sure come out with something great out of the archives... i mean there's lots to chose... 45years x 4seasons x 60looks = that's over ten thousand looks!
but again... it's so sad they are conforming with that... it makes the house lose all interests. if i wanted archive pieces, i'd feel that not only i am not getting the real thing by valentino, but also that it's just a blatant copy of it!

 

[tkendros]

The collection is so girly and flows so well oh

 

[angel222]

^Thank you Valentino's last personal collection is for women in their 60s. It's funny they say they're replacing her to get younger customers!

 

[mystiiik]

Alessandra kicks butt, i cannot believe that this was her last show..