Watching the Valentino spring/summer 2021 show live from Milan Fashion Week, Lady Bird Johnson’s quote surfaced in my mind: “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Set in an industrial space, the brand worked with Japanese plant artist Satishi Kawamoto to fill the stark, grey interior where they showed their collection with beautifully growing grasses, wildflowers and foliage that reminded the audience of the triumph of nature over man-made edifices. Labrinth, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer, provided a hauntingly beautiful live performace.
For the new season, Pierpaolo Piccioli‘s propositions were wonderfully laden with romance and, of course, flowers. Oversized blooms—roses, magnolias, lilies—found their way onto neon bright gowns of taffeta; delicate ruffles cascaded down the front of airy dresses made from tulle; bold, shocking colours—a particularly stunning shade of pink caught our eye—signalled a departure from a year that has been gloomy and overcast in the shadow of a global pandemic.
“Fashion for me is a way to talk about the values that matter today,” he told Vogue. “The true acceptance of diversity. Tolerance and kindness. This is the world I want to tell through my work as a designer.”
Below, see our pick of the most romantic looks from the Valentino spring/summer 2021 show.
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