I have been watching with fascination how Valentino’s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have taken over the reins at Valentino and against all odds are managing to blend the label's past with the future. They are accomplishing the herculean task of making the label feel relevant and fresh while still capturing it's heritage. Most labels fall to the side and eventually collapse when an iconic figure has headed the helm of a house for as many years as Valentino did. The label is so synonymous with it's designer that to think two relatively unknowns could have taken it over and done what they have done is almost miraculous.
When I saw last year's spring advertising campaign for the brand — that featured Freja Beha Erichsen, Caroline Brasch Nielsen, and Julia Saner — I could not help but to draw a loose parallel to some of the iconic images shot in the sixties for Paris Vogue. David Sims shot last year's campaign and chose to shoot in black-and-white which added to this feel. I have not read of any mention that would verify that he was inspired by the images from the sixties shoot but you can help but think that it must have been in the mix somewhere.
This feeling of continuity with the archives and pieces designed by Valentino in the sixties was carried though even more on the Spring 2012 catwalk. Many of the pieces shown really reflected those of the archives and the feel of the S/S 1968 season, don't you agree?
I love this. I feel that Maria and Pier respect and are showing great love for what Valentino built and accomplished. They are taking his vision and aesthetics and adding to them to create something new but still firmly Valentino rather then trying to compromise it for the sake of their own egos. The design idealism is his but it is theirs at the same time. It is really a wonderful thing to see a brand evolve within itself and successfully make the leap from being headed by an icon to ushering in a new era and still being recognizable. Bravo
