Lightness with the gravitas of couture history is a way to describe Giambattista Valli’s oeuvre. And for spring 2025, he wanted to push the signatures he’s developed over the years — roses, botanical prints, luxe embroideries, bubble skirts and nods to India — toward the future.
“I have an 11-year-old son, so you see the future through their eyes, fashion but also the world…And with all that’s going on with politics, with climate, sometimes you feel useless,” Valli admitted ahead of the show. “But people tell me the most important thing is to spread beauty. So if I can give a moment of beauty, a moment of poetry, a moment of unifying souls, it can be good.”
So, to a crowd stacked with princesses and lovelies, from Princess Alexandra of Hanover to “Baby Reindeer” star Nava Mau, Valli brought his aesthetic into the leggy, sheer and bra top loving here and now.
He set the tone for the direction with the all-white opening look, a twisted jersey hooded cape over a white miniskirt, and continued to build on the leggy story with a gorgeous ruby silk bow-front peplum over matching short-shorts, and a botanical print T-shirt dress.
Eveningwear, if you can even call it that considering the front row was decked out in satin and crystals on a Friday after lunch, was also lighter and more free.
A cream satin minidress with sculpted rosettes dotting the plunging neckline like cake frosting, with a bra top underneath, epitomized what Valli was trying to do and looked great. Another version came as a red satin waistcoat over a swimsuit and fancy red jelly shoes.
Sheer organza and cotton with embroideries from India or botanical florals played peekaboo with lingerie and crystal iced gilets, and feathers had a lighter touch, spilling out from below a peplum or a ball skirt on casual-feeling gowns. For something more simple, there were twisted and sculpted jersey looks, and sorbet-colored tweed shifts with white piping.
“You can make a statement but in a comfortable way,” said Valli. Indeed, that’s one of the messages of the season.
