by Linda Bezos

Pierpaolo Piccioli loves the street. Street styles from New York to Rome are his muses. Valentino's foray into its Resort collection is a canvas of eclecticism. It is filled with broody bourgeoise charm of 70's Rome. Art Deco to Baroque styles all invade the visual exploration of Piccioli's work. It is a collection brimming with cool and 'devil may care' sort of clarity. And by incorporating classic Valentino logos almost as a gonzo method, he foretells a future where classic brands like Valentino evolves to move forward, evolves to survive and prosper. Piccioli is a master at predicting where the market is heading and this surely is one of his more astute and nuanced collection within that realm of retro-futurism.