Simply put: pretty pleats, please. It was as if designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli were reading their clients’ minds as they designed for spring. They effortlessly transitioned from beyond simply paying homage to the great Valentino Garavani to delivering their own version of beauty. That translated into pale silhouettes paired with butterfly chokers and maxi dresses (which on occasion went over-the-edge) but which nevertheless broke free of any past restraints. All the heaviness of last night’s leftover lasagna was thrown into the garbage. To pair down the pleats, ribbons, lace and chiffon were pressed, sewn and woven like ripples into the garments. There were dazzling long and short numbers–quite a variety, in fact–that felt conservative and fresh all at once.
