Strategically placed at the start of awards season — with the Oscars and the Met Gala just a few weeks away — Paris Haute Couture week is the perfect place for celebrities and the international super-rich to browse the dreamlike, dramatic creations they might wear for upcoming red carpets, star-studded galas and private mega-weddings. After his spring/summer 2023 couture show last night, Giambattista Valli’s phone will be ringing with calls from stylists keen to place orders and secure loans.
The show, which brought day one of couture week to a close, was packed with sumptuously frothy fairytale creations — yards and yards of silk taffeta and tulle in pillbox reds, seafoam greens, sugary pinks and ice blues. Inspired by the glamour of Beverly Hills, the Rome-born designer delivered exuberant, sculptural silhouettes with a nostalgic, Old Hollywood feel; flowing trains, tiered balloon hems and dramatic fishtail skirts.
Vast rosette bows made for dramatic shoulder epaulettes and bouquets of peonies bloomed on cuffs. Feathered column dresses and nipped waist duchesse satin coats catered to the more mature client, while a section of crystal mesh bodysuits had Dua Lipa stage appeal. Two liquid gold lame knotted grecian dresses felt Oscars inspired — and no doubt destined.
