Rome was once the center of the world, and Valentino helped make it the center of the fashion world at Paris Couture Week for Fall/Winter 2012. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli blended sophisticated chic with Italian Renaissance elegance for a collection that was at once wistful and wearable. In keeping with recent collections, they opted to juxtapose modern sophistication against prim modesty – a move that disdains current flesh-baring trends in favor of subtlety. A march of rich navy blue gowns, pantsuits and cloaks opened the show, proving that a clean, unfussy silhouette is as current as the billowing volumes we’ve seen elsewhere on the runway. Sequins, sheers, and florals brightened the mood, adding a lovely artistic element to the designs. The design duo dabbled in velvets and brocades for added texture, before returning to slicker one-dimensional pieces like a heavy black silk suit. A procession of stunning gowns – some in the signature Valentino red – were among the best of the collection. However, it was the royal blue cut-out dress that closed the show that was the real prize. Chiuri and Piccioli have been obsessed with royal courts and the women who once inhabited them, and their capability at turning a dinner gown into a regal jewel is what’s keeping this theme from going stale.

written by GRACE GORDON|photos: courtesy of GoRunway