Valentino as designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli won wide acclaim for its spring 2019 haute couture presentation yesterday (January 23, 2019) in Paris at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild. Showing a vibrant collection of gowns, the show packed enough drama to bring Canadian songstress Celine Dion to tears.
The show’s cast, which included 45 women of color out of a cast of 65, were inspired by a 1948 Cecil Beaton photograph of women wearing ball gowns designed by Charles James, who’s often viewed as the father of couture. In an interview with WWD, Piccioli explained his thinking, stating, “What if Cecil Beaton’s [1948] photograph of those Charles James dresses could be with black women?”
Models included Alek Wek, Liya Kebede and the runway debut of Ugbad Abdi. The show was closed by Naomi Campbell wearing a dressed called “Chocolate Dhalia.” She last walked for the label’s spring couture runway in 2005. Additional models included Natalia Vodianova and Mariacarla Boscono.
Below check out video along with ten of our favorite looks from the show via Valentino.
Love this video from Valentino finale. The girls looking regal. Roberta Flack on the soundtrack. Celine Dion weeping, wiping away tears in the front row. Perfection.
— Saint Shannon (@shannon_sense) January 23, 2019
Dion weeps
Valentino spring 2019 runway
