Valentino.. Emilio Pucci .. pre-fall 2015

Okay mission accomplished: Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli signed up Celia Birtwell to do a series of prints for the fabled brand. If you don’t know who that is then Google was made for this purpose. They also employed the talents of a lesser known artist by the name of Giosetta Fioroni. The collaborations resulted in this mammoth collection of clothes that reflect the esthetic of the brand as well as the 2 artists… I think!

Personally, yes it is an amazingly exquisitely rendered collection of clothes, the details and workmanship are above and beyond what can be expected from any ready  to wear collection but the design and styling leaves me flummoxed. Firstly because the clothes are wildly, if not, stratospherically expensive in some cases and then there is this “sissy missy” design stance which leaves me cold. When it is not that prissy look then it is this monastic virginal look that evades me totally. To the designers’ credit, the girls are wearing makeup this season rather than looking like death is imminent but one has to question Bo Derek corn rows!

Some of the prints are indeed incredible and how they have been interpreted into apparel is surely astounding but then there is the odd retro mood which one supposes has to relate to Birtwell’s place in the fashion continuum and with her husband’s (Ossie Clarke) body of work. Are there pretty pieces... absolutely ... are there odd and perhaps ugly pieces ... well my instinct says yes especially when it comes to the Valentino idea of denim.

My perception of the brand is similar to many others and that is the contiguous elements of the collection are what make the brand hum.

Then there is Emilio Pucci or better know just as Pucci. Peter Dundas delivered a fabulous collection of rockem sockem clothes that scream of the Pucci DNA ... both old and new! Prints... check... sexy... check... tailoring... check... leathers … check... beading... check... knits... check... Color … check!!! Well what more can you ask for? This is a collection that might have stood on its own as a full blown seasonal collection rather than just one of those fill in seasons that keep stocks fresh in retail stores. It is very refreshing to see a designer who delivers more than one can expect and there is not doubt that his sales ...oops said it... will reflect accordingly. What is really amazing is that Dundas has really found his footing here after sort of bouncing around in search of his ideal home.