On January 24th, Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli debuted Valentino’s latest haute couture creations for the Spring/Summer 2024 season. Shown at the Salons of Valentino in Place Vendôme, the collection takes root in the modern day, reflecting contemporary needs while returning to the timeless core values of haute couture.

The collection is an interplay of the modern wardrobe, taking individual pieces to create harmony. Through explorations of natural texture, voluminous silhouettes, and contrasting colors, Piccioli ignites imagination and encourages emotion. The clear juxtaposition in each garment creates a sense of abstraction, evoking a feeling of freedom of expression and artistic vision.

With an intentional use of metallic feathers in a high-neck top, hand-cut sequins, and rouleaux of silk organza, Piccioli replicates the spirit of the natural world through human craftsmanship and ingenuity, as the textural textiles and techniques evoke a sense of illusionistic nature. A feathered and sheer organza top, overlaid with a structured, brown oversized blazer and paired with bright pink slacks juxtaposed the natural with the overtly humane. An eye-catching cape draped glittering over baby pink suspenders, a voluminous, green cloud-like dress paired with a yellow tailored blazer, or a sheer lace dress that flows across the Salon–the contrast established in the Salon collection emulates the emotions of modern life.

Valentino presents a look at modernity through the lens of the historical– a recontextualization of the definition of haute couture in the now, with a clear respect and appreciation for the past. This appreciation must be done at proximity, allowing for respect for the nuance and intricacies that Haute Couture embodies. The Salons of Valentino in Place Vendôme act as more than a stage, but a celebration of human creation and a place to experience the beauty of the house’s latest collection.