Valentino: Happy Times
By Timothy Hagy
(Photos by Javier Mateo)
PARIS, Mar 11, 2003/ FW/ --- Valentino seemed to have gone back to his luxurious velvet
roots in sending out a collection steeped in tradition and short on innovation.
In contrast with last season, which took on a new lightness of spirit, Fall / Winter 2003-04
got weighted down in fur and fond memories.
It was almost as if the master couturier, an adamant anti-war activist, catapulted back to his heyday in
the Vietnam era.
One could not help but think of Lee Radziwell's book "Happy Times", when she suppresses
any negative memory associated with the Kennedy era, to come up with a positive reworking
of history.
Over-sized 60s button-down coats, horizontal striped dressed and half moon cutaways began
to look a bit passé.
To make matters worse, a series of furry bloopers did nothing to add fresh air.
Spiraling mink embedded on balloon sleeves of a gray suede jacket worn by Caroline Ribeiro
should have wound up on the cutting room floor.
A leopard skin ensemble seemed almost a parody of the exquisite design shown by
Alber Elbaz at Lanvin the day before.
Fox fur cagoules and mink collars could have used further editing.
On the other side of the coin, the full evening gowns with a couture finish showed
off Valentino's elegant touch to perfection.
Karolina Korkouva was wrapped up in a black strapless gown, the top sewn with black pearls
and the waist tied with satin bows. Elsewhere, feathery plumes were used to construct the
bodice of a red gown, while a cascade of black pleats was set with a ruby satin top.
The penultimate show of the big name designers in Paris this season appeared to fizzle.
You could say that the collection was lacking in innovation, or you could say, as a group
of New York editors after the show, that the pieces were strong and highly wearable.
What is certain is that Valentino has a large following, though at age 70, no immediate
successor.
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