August 2019 Issue #32 August 2019 Issue #32 | Page 14

FASHION
Valentino F/W 2019
Valentino Fall/Winter 2019 Paris
Piccioli wanted to rethink the suit, move away from the stiff Nineties aesthetic, and piv-
ot toward something more modern, free and fluid.
The impulse to move beyond streetwear, and come up with a new take on tailoring, has
been gaining momentum in the big fashion cities, with Valentino the latest brand to feel
the beat. Pierpaolo Piccioli put last season’s ill-judged streetwear collection — with its
busy patterns and over-logoed everything — behind him, with his latest effort a pol-
ished mix of slouchy, tailored clothing with an artsy, sci-fi twist.
“I’m not going to say that streetwear is over, and I don’t think anyone wants to re-
nounce their sneakers,” said Piccioli, adding that he wanted to rethink the suit, move
away from the stiff Nineties aesthetic, and pivot toward something more modern, free
and fluid. “I wanted to take another look at the values of tailoring, and do something
more relaxed, effortless, a suit you can wear all week and on the weekends, if you
want,” he said backstage after the show.
He also wanted to democratize his offer, and open up the fashion house to new men
and new ideas. To wit: He worked with Undercover’s Jun Takahashi, who’s been turn-
ing out upscale streetwear since the Nineties, on the show’s cartoonish, sci-fi illustra-
tions, including the fusion of Edgar Allan Poe with a spaceship, designs that were due
to appear in Undercover’s show later Wednesday evening. He worked with Birkenstock
on the footwear, because it’s “the opposite of a couture brand,” said Piccioli.
14