This season, Pierpaolo Piccioli chose blue as his focal point, presenting an emotional Valentino collection centred around the bright cerulean blue of le ciel d'été. Under the blue microscope, we discovered themes of maleness and the many facets, expectations, and trappings of masculinity in the modern world. While the formal foundations of the collection orbited around classical tailoring, Piccolo deftly weaved a sensitive story that flowed between the robust and the refined.

Traditional cut jackets were subverted with unexpectedly feminine touches and textures, such as cut-outs and sequins. One particularly successful tuxedo was padded out in the shoulders to exaggerate its classic brawny proportions and challenge the idealisation of male size, strength, and power. By playing with the tailoring and palette in this way, Piccolo deconstructed perceptions of what masculine clothing should and could look like.

This aspirational gender fluidity was perfectly surmised in the floor-length box coats that were threaded with delicate floral cut-outs across the shoulders and back to once again ‘break and subvert a point of stereotypical masculine emphasis.’

There were confident juxtapositions in the tailoring with softer, more sensual silhouettes, which were presented through fluffy wool coats, cashmere soft roll neck pulls, and billowy suit pants cut sharply at the ankle. 

Piccolo seemed preoccupied with universal moralities and spoke empathetically in the show notes about harnessing “universal human values," explaining that the “celebration of craft is a reflection of humanity.” With attention to detail and a sensitive consideration of form, the collection was quietly provocative in its embrace of new ideals for masculine presentation. Here, Picciolo swapped rigidity and repetition for something brighter and more malleable.

As the models took their final walk to the sweet sound of Whitney Houston’s ‘My Love is Your Love', Piccioli’s challenge became clear: ‘In a changed world, man must change too.’