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Valentino chooses black and white for its fall-winter 2021-2022 collection
Presented in Milan’s Piccolo Teatro, accompanied by the dulcet tones of London-based singer Cosima, Valentino’s new ready-to-wear collection surprised us with its chromatic palette: for once, black and white triumph, composing a refined wardrobe for both men and women with the emphasis on detail, materials and technique.
By Matthieu Jacquet.
Since its creation in 1960, Valentino has been associated with several colours over the years: red, of course, one of its signatures, but also fuchsia, white, violet and even emerald green. However, one colour is rarely part of its vocabulary: black. Yet this is the colour that dominates and brings together the Italian house’s fall-winter 2021-2022 ready-to-wear collection. After a sumptuous haute couture show last January that focused on warm tones, from yellows, oranges and ochres to coppers and sands, Pierpaolo Piccioli this time offers a wardrobe full of light-dark contrasts and depths where black and white underline the play of materials, textures and layering, but also the volume of the pieces and the line of his 67 silhouettes.
On the women’s side, most of the ensembles stop mid-thigh and reveal bare legs – a rather surprising choice given the season. The torsos were covered with loose-fitting white shirts, lace plastrons and jabots, and contrasting polka-dot tops, while pleated and flared high-waisted skirts, black mini-shorts, flat leather boots, coats and short woollen capes completed silhouettes that were strongly reminiscent of schoolgirl uniforms, while their materials and refinement gave them a more “grown-up” stature. For the men, Pierpaolo Piccioli created deceptively minimalist outfits that included ample coats, sometimes with large grey, black and white checks, knitted sweaters and wide-cut trousers, as well as short padded jackets and K-ways.
The collection’s particularity lies in the details and techniques: on both men and women, we find turtleneck tops where dozens of small ovals draw regular openings, black sweaters where the openings sketch large lozenges reminiscent of certain jacquard patterns, “net” coats and jackets decorated with discreet floral appliqués or knotted ribbons. A sparkling cape, dresses in white lace, black organza or swathed in silver sequins finally give this wardrobe all the theatricality and femininity that are Valentino’s subtle strengths, in a collection where dark romanticism and punk chic, with a hint of goth, combine to deploy a timeless elegance.
