Standing ovation for Giambattista Valli in the Petit Palais

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jul 3, 2017

Scenes of great joy at the climax of the Giambattista Valli, as his audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation as he took a long extended bow, walking the length of the interior garden of the Petit Palais.

 
His besotted fashion fans loudly celebrating a hyper romantic collection and last Friday’s news that the Roman couturier had inked a deal with Artemis, the investment vehicle of giant luxury group Kering, which had take a significant stake in his house.
 
Post-show, Valli was mobbed by the likes of Bianca Brandolini and Celine Dion, who sent the bloggers outside the building into a piranha like feeding frenzy when she entered in one of Giambattista’s floral sequined dresses.

“FANTASTIQUE!” Dion mouthed out exaggeratedly backstage as she embraced Valli, long one of the most popular designers in Paris.
 
Out on the mosaic catwalk, outstanding cocktail dresses in draped and ruffled silk chiffon; “jardin de fleurs” embroidered macramé dresses and bravura cocktail coats done in crystal mirrors. His finale, featuring a quintet of multi-ruffled ball gowns cut short at the front and pagoda like behind, was pretty phenomenal. All finished with high jewelry from Eleuteri, notably chokers finished with Ancient Roman coins.

Valli makes rarefied fashion, suggesting a world few women will ever be rich enough to enter, but are only too happy to dream about.
 
“I could not be happier with the agreement. Now I will have the means to really broaden my appeal,” he said with his trademark hefty Roman laugh.