A visit to Valentino’s showroom at Place Vendôme in Paris is always a magical experience, and the season’s ballet theme only served to up the ethereal factor even more. As expected, velvet, tulle, sequins, rhinestones and beads were aplenty as creative directors Maria Grazia Churi and Pierpaolo Piccioli imagined a ballerina moving through the different parts of her life and the different roles she performs on stage. There were “warm-up” clothes, more costume-y pieces, light-as-clouds day dresses and a ballgown – yes, we are referring to Lorde’s Met Gala dress, though we didn’t know at that time – to wear to her opening nights. It was pink, pretty and dreamy. It’s a collection that just makes you feel so pleased. There were “crowd-friendly” options in the all black ensembles, crisp shirts and masculine coats, but the floor-sweeping evening dresses were the real scene stealers that stopped everyone present in their tracks. In an era where fashion and its consumers are moving towards street-inspired clothing, we need houses like Valentino around to remind us of how magical and incredible fashion can be.

Photos: Candice Chua