Valentino Pre-Fall 2011 Collection

"Techno-couture” was the buzzword at Valentino for pre-fall. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli designed a covetable collection where everything looked extremely rich but fresh and young at the same time. Their goal is to deliver wearable pieces which women can truly enjoy and can mix and match accordingly to their attitude.

Valentino offers a ruffle filled sequel to its spring line for pre-fall 2011. Worn by Caroline Brasch Nielsen who also starred in the label’s recent spring campaign, the collection features a floor length gowns and flirty skirts for the autumn season. Along with lace work and even a touch of animal print, the Valentino woman is emboldened for pre-fall.

Minidresses were abundant, including architectural-inspired ones in stretch wool the designers’ key fabric as well as a combination of chiffon, lace and slick leather for a luxurious yet edgy look. There were also playful coats, voluminous furs, ruched nylon and satin trenches, and little fur intarsia cardigans embellished with the house’s iconic rose motifs on the shoulders.

The resulting black and white dresses are still plenty feminine, but you don’t have to wait for a big night to pull them off. As in the duo’s recent runway collections, the look was younger and hipper than it was during Valentino Garavani’s own heyday, an effect compounded by a new focus on daywear. Nylon trenches in foundation colors topped knee-length lace frocks, some of which came with simple T-shirt-like bodices. Hanging on racks in the studio were flaring seventies-style trousers and elongated cardigans, the most covetable with a black mink front and a knit back. Another gem was tucked away in the showroom: A stripy turtleneck sweater fused with lace and shown with a leopard-spot A-line skirt (not pictured in the slideshow) looks destined for the front row at fashion shows next month.