Valentino Fall/Winter 2013-2014

Valentino review by Emma Scott

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

The Latest Valentino Look

China Doll

Neat, stylish and sophisticated, words that perfectly sum up this year’s autumn/winter collection from Valentino. I instantly get the idea of china dolls when seeing the chic, long sleeved, black dresses with decorative lace collars. The overall look is pristine and clean cut with the models themselves sporting neat side plaits, complimented with black headbands. This along with the high necked shift dresses aids in creating an almost childlike and very innocent look; however the shades of Egyptian blue and coal black make the collection chic and fashionable.

Delicate lace and antique florals

Embellishment is kept to a minimum through pretty cut out pieces of lace used to create a peplum style on the waistline of a simplistic black dress, or through intricate floral embroidery resembling that what you would find on an antique vase. Balance is the key for this style, using high necklines and long sleeves to cover the top half of the body, however leaving the legs exposed, revealing just the right amount of skin.

The delicate white lace and long, open black coats of this collection also shout out to me a very Victorian style, however in this case this is used in a slightly androgynous way with the women wearing the tailored over coats to contrast accessories such as delicate pearls worn around the neck.

Pure and simple

The idea of innocence and purity is continued throughout the collection, with the colour nude making an appearance for many of the garments. My favourite piece from this section of the collection is the nude cashmere dress that features a tulip skirt with lace collar and embroidered detailing along the hemline. It would be a perfect piece to have in your winter wardrobe, either dressed up with gold heels for a night occasion, or for a grungier day look, with heeled, lace up black boots. I love how simple and fresh this collection is creating an effortless look, that acts like a blank canvas for the wearer so they can accessorise how they wish. However I think the use of nude leather handbags and boot style heels pull the outfit together and is very refreshing against the usual brown and maroon colours we usually see for an autumn/winter collection.

Practical or party wear

Some flashes of colour do show throughout the collection in the form of a deep venetian red complimented against bright white and nude stripes. I love the floor length gown in this shade of red that features a large inverted pleat down the centre front and a tailored collar; it would be perfect for an evening winter party. The collection is very practical, with none of the garments restricting movement in any way, meaning you could easily go about your day wearing them; I adore the cropped, suit style jackets with scalloped lapels. This scalloped design is then continued adorning a collection of dresses, with sheer chiffon panels, and emphasising the joining of seams.