Pierpaolo Piccioli

A new creative configuration will be announced soon, the Roman couture house said.

The designer has made deft experimentation with colour a hallmark of his aesthetic at the Roman house. Previously known for its signature red, Valentino has expanded its palette under Piccioli — from blistering magenta to dusty electric blues — turning the use of colour into a powerful brand signifier in the process.

Members of the industry index including Pierpaolo Piccioli and Francesca Bellettini connected over cocktails and canapes in Paris, celebrating new entrants including Pharrell Williams, Karol G and Sabato De Sarno.

Momentum in China and tourist spend in Europe enabled the sector to continue growing in Q2, while Kering’s surprise acquisition of a 30 percent stake in Valentino suggests there is more consolidation to come, writes Imran Amed.

The French group has the option to acquire 100 percent of the Italian label within five years. Kering chairman François-Henri Pinault described the deal as a ‘first step’ in a broader partnership with Qatari investment fund Mayhoola.

Couture Week was a polarised affair, opposing restraint and excess, technique and showmanship, real clothes and wild storytelling, with little in between, writes Angelo Flaccavento.

The star-studded annual ceremony recognised a mix of established talent and rising stars, while also paying tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The Italian brand staged a couture spectacular on the Spanish Steps that proved to be as much a collection of Pierpaolo Piccioli tropes as a ‘dialogue’ with founder Valentino Garavani.

We expect extraordinary craft from Valentino, Schiaparelli and Sacai. The real challenge is making an emotional connection.

Haute couture, once the realm of unbridled dreams, is getting back to making clothes, reports Angelo Flaccavento.