Sunday 2 December 2012

Resort 2013 Refresher: Valentino

Finally, summer is here (in the Southern Hemisphere that is!) and I am excited.

The days are long, the nights are warm and everybody is happy to be alive. With Christmas only a few short weeks away, everyone is going from party to party, finishing up work for the year and getting ready to take a well-earned break. The anticipation and excitement in the air has me thinking about the 2013 Resort collections shown earlier this year.

I LOVE the Resort collections - they are a celebration of the impeccably chic and a pleasant reminder that summer has arrived! 

Jovial and fresh, the Resort collections are designed to encapsulate one's feelings when away from the demands of everyday life. They are a chance for a designer to show creativity and imagination in a less pretentious, more casual environment. Don't get me wrong though, the Resort collections are still big business. With year-round relevance, and the opportunity to appeal to those living in warmer climates (and of course to those of us who like to travel to such destinations to escape the confines of the winter season - and looking superbly stylish while doing so), the Resort collections are highly anticipated. 

To celebrate the coming of the season, I am going to spend the next two weeks sharing my highlights of the 2013 Resort collections. And to start off, I am going to revisit my number one favourite collection for 2013 - Valentino.

In my humble opinion, Valentino was utterly flawless. The colour palette, the silhouettes, the fabrics, the patterns - Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri truly embodied the Resort philosophy - fresh, casual and light. Each piece was totally unique and sublimely stylish - and a distinct departure from the edgy, leather inspired mood seen in their autumn collection.

Valentino's 2013 Resort collection was simply stunning in its execution and quite breathtaking in its beauty. Below are a few of my personal favourites from the collection, although I could have put them all in without question.

What self-respecting lady would not want to be seen in the Valentino gown above? Embedded on the most delicately sheer lace, the seasonal colour palette and the intricate floral pattern is full of life and optimism for the prospects of a new year. The gown sets the tone and mood for the entire collection - a collection that is built around a sense of understated individuality and bourgeoning irreverence, the hallmark of the late 1960s.


















































I LOVE the look above. The punchy pink is magnetic to the eye. Valentino's collection is defined by pieces, such as this one, that are demure and feminine yet bold and adventurous. Accented with the starkly contrasted white collar and cuffs, the dress has the ability to lend itself to any number of situations, whether formal gatherings or an evening under the stars on a balmy summer's night. The sheer arms, the thin line belt and the über cute low-cut heels only add to this looks style supremacy.  







































Valentino's collection is cleverly built upon the use of the perennially beautiful citrus colour palette. Lime greens and soft yellows are a gentle reminder of youth, femininity and the genesis of life - and are a perfect current to run through any Resort collection. Valentino has taken these hues paired them with delicately embroidered lace to add a real porcelain quality to the collection - like a whisper, each piece is preciously soft and light as a feather. The look above the two below are prime examples - and I am totally loving the matching clutch bags.












































There is no denying that an all-over print can drown the wearer and end up looking unflattering and très occupé! But once again, Valentino has pushed the boundary and has created something truly inspiring. The softness of the print and the demure colour palette has allowed this dress the opportunity to come alive. Again, the collar and cuffs define the direction of the look, and the golden belt helps to break the print and give the dress a natural focal point. Love it.


























Above: SUPER CUTE! The Valentino girl leaves no prisoners - everybody wants to be her!

Below: The lacework again may be the winner, but the Valentino girl wearing this amazing dress is truly the star.






























Above: Loving the injection of leopard print. Valentino = always surprising.

Below: I can't be the only one who thinks this look is super special. The black sheer top, again defined by the collar and the cuff, is provocative and enticing. Team that with the pink pinstripe skirt, the pink bag and heels (rocked up with the jewels), the look is transformed from merely provocative to inherently individual.









































Above: do I have to say anything? Ok, I will. Love it. The floral, the belt, the lace trim - all of it screams the advent of flower power and the rise of individual freedom, all while still being disguised within the confines of current yet crumbling social inhibitions. Valentino channels the mood of the sixties and transforms the mood into something that is totally current and utterly enviable. The Valentino girl has two faces - you never know which one is facing you.

Below: Hot.  





























The injection of the forest green, backless lace dress above is bringing sexy back and bringing back in a big way - the Valentino girl is always evolving.




























Above: Victoria Beckham - is that you? Surely you can't squeeze any more sophistication and sexy into this look? No, no you can not.







































Valentino is continually surprising. The Valentino girl is feminine, self-assured and desirable. She takes great pride in not only the way she presents herself, but in the way she thinks and feels. She likes to feel pretty and delicate as well as exude confidence and a sense for seasonal fashion.

Piccioli and Chiuri have developed a Resort collection that not only inspires, but one that challenges. It challenges because it ticks so many boxes. Where to from here? That is an exciting thought.

www.valentino.com

www.style.com

brandmaker (SC!)

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