Valentino Haute Couture

Photo: Courtesy of Valentino
Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2022 haute couture show titled ‘The Beginning’ presented a collection that was radical, yet familiar. Read on for five things to know about the spectacle.

The show took place on Rome’s Spanish Steps
Spanish Steps, Rome Photo: Courtesy of Valentino
Titled ‘The Beginning’, the couture show manifested itself at the 18th-century Spanish Steps in the city of Rome, where Valentino Garavani first started the maison in 1959. “Roma is the place where everything starts, the life, the people, our stories, and identities are here,” said creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. “We belong to this place as much as this place belongs to the world and to Valentino.” As a conversation across the past, present, and future, the collection depicts “the idea of beauty heralded, supported, and fostered” by Piccioli, here and now.
A star-studded front row

The event saw a number of renowned names and friends of the house come together. In attendance were Anne Hathaway—dressed in head-to-toe pink—Naomi Campbell, Kate Hudson, Balqees Fathi, Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, and many others, who shed happy tears as the models walked down the runway.
The show featured a diverse casting
Photo: Gorunway.com
‘The Beginning’ had an inclusive cast of models and showcased a ramp full of different sizes, ages, and ethnicities. Championing the idea that beauty and fashion do not confine to a particular shape or size, the showcase displayed sheer diversity wrapped in hand sequined suits, and floral dresses. “Beauty comes from harmony. It is not an aesthetic imposition, it does not obey rigid canons, nor fixed rules,” said Piccioli. “Beauty is a manner, and it is pivotal to the way Maison Valentino operates since its foundation.”
The collection’s theme was a nod to Valentino Garavani himself
Photo: Gorunway.com
Dubbed a “conversation with Valentino”, the collection championed the designer’s legacy alongside Piccioli’s own contributions to the fashion house. Pieces featured sumptuous volumes in saturated colors, while dramatic plume headpieces shared the spotlight. A sense of romance—often seen in Garavani’s designs—was also felt in the rose-adorned dresses and bow details.
The signature Valentino pink was more than present
Balqees Fathi
After taking the world by storm with the Fall/Winter 2022 ready-to-wear collection, Valentino’s now-signature shade of hot pink was worn by many stars in attendance, including Anne Hathaway and Florence Pugh. The season’s much-loved color is also celebrated in Vogue Arabia’s July/August 2022 issue with a cover shot in Jaipur, commonly known as the Pink City. A bold piece in the same hue was also worn by Emirati singer Balqees Fathi, who represented the Middle East at the show, and also teamed up with Vogue Arabia for an exclusive takeover on Instagram.
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