Nonchalance is one of those words that captures the aura of something, in this case a sophisticated ease. It’s an attitude and approach that Giambattista Valli has taken from his own life — the designer is known for pairing his prized natural pearl necklaces with jeans and sweaters — into his latest pre-fall collection , a collection that balances charm and practicality. Luxe fringed tweed cardigan jackets and cropped and bootcut jeans seemed made for movement.
Fashion’s pace is known to be flimsy as far as the environment is concerned, and it’s good to see Valli using spring’s “paglia di Vienna” or rattan pattern for denim Cloth on, rather than drop it. We need more ideas like this. Floral prints, paisley, bows and pretty related to the house are present in this collection. While some of the printed pieces felt rigid, the silhouettes were fresh, slimmer, sharper and closer to the body. The opening look, a beautifully crafted sequin embroidered top and skirt in a Coromandel pattern, was clearly an investment piece that captured the brand’s allure. “I wanted to offer something more special, [something] dreamy,” Valli said. “You know, dreams are very important. Especially in a bad economy, people like to buy less and buy more. I think this is very important.”
