Pierpaolo Piccioli is turning out to be another of my favourite designers. As if the SS18 collection he did wasn’t stunning enough, he pulls another rabbit out of the hat, and delivers another stellar collection for Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2018.

Set in a greenhouse-esque showspace (minus the heat, of course) with grid glass panels as walls, the manicured garden outside was in full view. To add to this vibe, potted plants were also strategically placed around the interior perimeter. This floral vibe was also reflected in the collection. The colour palette came in every imaginable colour that blooms come in: powder pink, mustard, maroon, mint, green, flamingo pink, and of course, the classic red, because no Valentino collection is ever complete without it. And then of course, the more obvious connection, were the artsy oversized floral motifs featuring poppies, gerberas, and pansies, which were either printed or embroidered onto the fabrics. From scalloped hems and ruffles, to off-the-shoulder and one-shouldered silhouettes, Piccioli used floaty fabrics that billowed along with any movement.  In short, the collection was modernist yet romantic at the same time…  Modernist Romanticism, perhaps? Well, whatever we decide to call this, it was quintessentially Valentino.

And now, on to the bags! I know most of you have told me that you wish Valentino would move on from the Rockstuds, so if you fall into this category, then you’d be delighted with the FW18 collection because there were very few of these!

While there were some Rockstud totes spotted, these were rather, well, meh. The floral evening bags, on the other hand, were my faves. The new silhouette that accompanied many of the looks is this bag right here, the ruched flap shoulder bag, with micro rockstuds between the ruching that are only noticeable if you look closely enough. I love how Piccioli added this little detail because in such cases, designers either usually use a thin bar, or stitches, to ensure that the ruching holds its shape. This latest bag come 2 sizes, and in a plethora of colours, along with the oversized flower with snakeskin patch appliqué, as well as a version in Karung. Not exactly my style, but since I love anything artsy fartsy – yes this includes flower motifs, so none of that Laura Ashley/country-styled Little House on the Prairie  floral prints, please – I’m really digging the ones with the blooms on them.

Images via Vogue Runway