VALENTINO: Mirabilia Romae, an introduction by Francesco Bonami, original photography by Laziz Hamani published by Assouline. Since 2008, the renowned Italian fashion house Valentino has been anchored by Creative Directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, who have moved the house’s aesthetic forward with their contemporary feminine designs.
Chiuri and Piccioli are two personalities with very different design viewpoints, yet they blend these contrasts into a timeless mélange of clean simplicity and modern elegance. One of Chiuri and Piccioli’s most profound inspirations is Rome itself, the Eternal City. Its seamless blend of ancient and modern, pagan and baroque, historic buildings and contemporary lifestyle reflects their own distinctive approach in which heritage, tradition, and innovation coexist to create a new concept of the Maison Valentino.
More than merely a city, Rome is a universal symbol that is distinguished around the world for its wonders, through unique visions and details. The essence of Rome, just like that of Valentino’s creations, allows the reader to experience this splendour in all of its grandeur, creating a longing for details and for innate beauty.
A garment is like a monument. It is a question of structure, quality, spirit, colours, details and artisanal mastery. Rome is a feat of urban couture, just as each Valentino creation is an exploit of fashion architecture.
The plasters, the cobblestone streets, the fountains, the lights and all of Rome’s hidden treasures reflect the stitching, the materials, the delicate work of manufacturing and the transparencies of Valentino’s collections.
“We cannot imagine a world without Rome. And we cannot imagine Rome without Valentino” - Maria Grazia Chiuri, Pierpaolo Piccioli Italian art curator Francesco Bonami brings readers into Chiuri and Piccioli’s extraordinary world of inspiration, revealing their vision of the Valentino woman, exploring what fuels their passion and creativity, and explaining their impact and contributions to fashion as creative artists.
Valentino: Mirabilia Romae features fabulous original photography by Laziz Hamani, including the spectacular inspiration boards created for every collection and the intricate paper patterns constructed for each showstopping couture gown, all carefully preserved in the house archives.
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