I must admit, I am the biggest fan of Valentino. He is the king of evening dresses and feminine clothes. Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri launched a capsule collection called Techno Couture that reimagines some of the house signatures—the roses, the ruffles, the ruching—in easy-to-wear stretch wool. The resulting black and white dresses are still plenty feminine, but you don't have to wait for a big night to pull them off. As in the duo's recent runway collections, the look was younger and hipper. Nylon trenches in foundation colours topped knee-length lace frocks, some of which came with simple T-shirt-like bodices. Hanging on racks in the studio were flaring seventies-style trousers and elongated cardigans, the most covetable with a black mink front and a knit back. A stripy turtleneck sweater fused with lace and shown with a leopard-spot A-line skirt looks destined for the front row at fashion shows next month—who will be the lucky insider to score those samples? A trio of puffer coats drove home the designers' message: Valentino isn't just a red-carpet brand, but it’s a timeless elegance. I just adore Valentino’s clothes!
