It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the direction Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have taken Valentino since taking the helm of the storied house a few years ago and their latest outing for Fall 2012 men’s wear was another remarkable achievement of masterful tailoring updated with a subtle sense of subversion.
While the base of the collection was a dashing yet familiar classic suit, collared shirt and tie, jackets and outerwear were updated in sculpted cocoon shapes and color-blocking and featured dropped shoulders, contrasting fabrications and collar tabs that allowed for coats to be worn elegantly over the shoulders. This lent the collection a thoroughly modern appeal that was original, while a moody color palette kept it entirely wearable.
The conciseness, the strict palette and justifiable tweaks to traditional tailoring marked this outing as a head-turning winner and has surprisingly made Valentino one of our current favorites out there. Chic, sleek and new, it also makes for a perfect mate for the Valentino woman. -Naveed Hussain
Valentino in-stores now: