The Fast Lane–Following a dark and formal fall/winter 2012 collection, Valentino head designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli infuse sportswear with skilled tailoring for their spring/summer 2013 collection. The head designers seemed to be speeding for the finish line, as their models marched down the runway in sleek sports jackets and multicolored running shoes. Chiuri and Piccioli may soon find their way on top, however, as they continue to set the caliber for pure, wearable luxury every season. A race car driver’s jacket, a soldier’s camouflage print, and a worker’s raw denim – uniforms with a masculine undertone – were reworked and refined into streamlined silhouettes for a casual setting. Each look explored the tension between sportswear and elegant, careful construction. Clean, pleated trousers, exaggerated shapes, and contrast lining within the inner sleeves highlighted the head designers’ impeccable talent for meticulous precision in both cut and detail. Understanding the significance of the right fit with even the simplest white button up shirt, Chiuri and Piccioli prove they are a force to be reckoned with, as they exhibit yet another strong and dignified collection.
