Valentino Spring 2019 Haute Couture: Diversity at its Finest
Inspired by Cecil Beaton's 1948 portrait of the American designer Charles James' glorious ball gowns, Pierpaolo Piccioli of Maison Valentino, infused several color variations during his recent Paris Haute Couture presentation, a presentation which quickly became the season's reference.
A major theme reflected throughout the show, color was a significant highlight, inclusive of the dazzling hues of the Piccioli's creations, the diverse parade of models on the runway and the hand-applied Swarovski jewels, feather lashes and floral face paint makeup legend Pat McGrath utilized to compliment Piccioli's vision. “Pierpaolo wanted the shades to complement the clothes—quite paled out, but rich,” explained McGrath backstage to Vogue.
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
During the model casting two days prior to the show, diversity played a significant role in the haute couturier's thoughts. While reflecting upon the Beaton portrait, images from quintessentially-cultured Ebony and Jet magazines featuring African American icons supermodel Beverly Johnson (American Vogue's first African American cover model), actress Eartha Kitt and the infamous Franca Sozzani July 2008 "Black Issue" of Italian Vogue, a genius idea was sparked.
“What if Cecil Beaton’s [1948] photograph of those Charles James dresses could be with black women?” he asked, as per Vogue. This critical question led to the inclusive casting of African American models Liya Kebede and Naomi Campbell, who were also Sozzani's cover girls, alongside Hannah Shakespeare, Rouguy Faye, veteran Alek Wek and such newcomers as Ugbad Abdi, who made her runway debut.
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
Featuring romantic elements of ruffles, tulle, lace and florals, the unveiling was a radiant tribute to founder Valentino Garavani's elegance, and an eloquen display of Piccioli's brilliant craftmanship. “I love couture for what it is—the lightness, the uniqueness. I don’t like to show the efforts [it takes] to arrive at the magic,” said Piccioli, in an interview with Vogue.
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
The showcase of models in scintillating harmonies of lilac, blue, chocolate, coral, peridot green, turquoise, tangerine plus the dramatic winged-eye looks electrified the dreamy presentation. Many guests were moved to tears by the beautiful collection. The crowd rose to their feet in admiration of Piccioli's sartorial genius.
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
According to the 2019 runway diversity report compiled by The Fashion Spot, the Fall 2018 season saw "more women of color walking the runway than ever before. In Paris, the Fall 2018 runways were 31.1 percent nonwhite, a 4.1 point increase over Spring 2018’s 27 percent and a 5.2 point increase over Fall 2017’s 25.9 percent. During the 2019 haute couture season in Paris, models of color made up 32.4 percent of runway castings, a minor — 1.3 point — increase over Fall 2018’s 31.1 percent, but still a record high for the city."
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
While the runways are beginning to feature a more diverse group of models, there remains an ever-present issue of inequality. Today, the words of the late American civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. still ring true: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Valentino 2019 Paris Haute Couture. Filippo Fior/Gorunway.com
Bravo to Piccioli for producing an awe-inspiring show and extending his creative vision to reflect our world as it is: an extraordinary melting pot of cultures. It is the hope that he and others can continue to lead the path forward, prompting more designers to practice inclusive casting season after season. And this vision continued to inspire pret-a-porter collections for Fall 2019.
