Kirsten Soderholm's October Post

Valentino is one of the most famous fashion designers in the world and his studded heels and flats can be spotted from a mile away. Valentino, who is known solely by his first name, was born in Italy and is widely known for his exquisite and elaborate couture gowns. The outfits in his latest runway show,  ‘Haute Couture Fall Winter 2014-2015’ included features that were Pre-Raphaelite in nature, which we have seen and distinguished in many paintings. Suzy Menkes, a writer for Italian Vogue, wrote an article on this show titled, “From Pagan goddesses to Pre-Raphaelites,” confirms that association. Menkes asserts that the show was, “bringing back a sense of female privacy…as Pre-Raphaelite paintings by artists like Alma-Tadema filled the mood board, along with images of Roman goddesses.” The runway was sided with tall green bush-like grass, while the models had very pale skin and strong, striking features. The models resembled the women in Pre-Raphaelite paintings we have studied, such as in Millais's Ophelia, and the couture reflects that influence.

In the collection there were elaborate coats, skirts, and dresses embroidered with a variety of floral colors and materials. In all of the pictures I saw you could hardly ever see the models feet, as Valentino is famous for the quote, “An evening dress that reveals a woman’s ankles while walking is the most disgusting thing I have ever seen.” While scrolling through some of the images I found many similarities between Ophelia and the models. The way the greenery lines the models, their pale striking faces, and big detailed, complex dresses all overlap with Millais's Ophelia. It is so interesting that even centuries later, the most famous fashion designers in the world are still influenced by this era of art. Clearly the Pre-Raphaelites affected many people in their day and continue to do so more than 100 years later, continuing a tradition of astonishing couture in our present day.

Valentino, "Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014-2015"

Featured in Suzy Menkes' Article, "From Pagan Goddesses to Pre-Raphaelites." July 14, 2014

 

http://www.vogue.it/en/suzy-menkes/suzy-menkes/2014/07/from-pagan-goddesses-to-pre-raphaelites#ad-image