Valentino’s Extroverted S/S´20 Couture Show

Dreams, the subconscious, hidden sensuality: Pierpaolo Piccioli had been immersing himself in the works of the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung ahead of his spring/summer 2020 Valentino couture show, and the collection proved a fitting tribute to the theorist who introduced the world to the term “extrovert”. Feathers, fishtails, ruffles, polka dots, sequins, lace, organza, tulle – the collection had everything, and then some. Don’t fall prey to the tendency to overanalyse, though. As Piccioli told British Vogue’s critic Anders Christian Madsen in a preview: “I feel that today fashion is too much about the story and less about fashion. I like fashion because of fashion; the image.” Here, five things to know about Valentino’s couture show.

The Return Of The Fishtail Gown

Calling all Oscar nominees in search of a standard issue strapless fishtail gown. Or rather, a superlative issue strapless fishtail gown. After all, Valentino doesn’t do anything other than spectacular, and Pierpaolo’s decision to (relatively speaking) rein in his couture silhouettes for spring resulted in him reclaiming Hollywood’s favourite red-carpet mermaid shape. Injecting it with elegance and grace thanks to sheer powder pink layers worn over the top (romantic), cobalt blue sequins (unexpected), cut-out florals (fabulously risqué), some seriously fancy opera gloves (more of which later), and his favourite trick, pockets, it’s safe to say there will be many a stylist on the blower this evening.

Idiomatic Accessory

The little extras bolstering the Valentino woman’s accessories arsenal for spring? Elbow-length satin and leather opera gloves, occasionally accompanied by schoolgirl-perky bows; pendulum crystal earrings that exploded into little fans of feathers; extraordinary coral headdresses, like something Janine Janet might have dreamt up; and laser-cut leather, sack-shaped bags, which swung nonchalantly at ankles.

Bright Jung Things

Thought couture was just about pretty dresses? Wrong. There was Jungian philosophy woven in those curvy Valentino silhouettes. Pierpaolo Piccioli told Anders Christian Madsen he’d been burying himself in the works of Carl Jung and his writings on mandala symbolism. The mandala, Jung believed, was a template for the mind, a state of harmony and order that compensates for the chaos of the psychic state. Heavy stuff, though Piccioli was quick to qualify: “I promise you won’t see any mandalas in my prints.” He continued: “It’s not literal. I’ve just left some evidence.”

Out To Lunch

The newest wardrobe combination to set our hearts beating a little faster? Of course, the bows and ruffles could never fail to delight the front row. But, in reworking his silhouette, Pierpaolo also offered up a delectably fresh daytime concoction comprising a flippy-hemmed midi skirt and a long-line blazer that was simultaneously – whisper it – practical as well as princessy enough to satisfy his most demonstrative clients.

Glance Back

With all eyes on the throat-grazing necklines, often trimmed with a chorus line worth of Mamie pink feathers, a West End truckload of sequins or even just an arrestingly simple roll-neck of Valentino red, it was easy to miss the view from the back. Swooping to perilously low depths, the reverse-view of Pierpaolo’s gowns was almost as exquisite as the front, adorned with bows, feathers, and ruffles.