First Year Fashion Design Visit Valentino “le Noir”
Every Paris Fashion Week, Valentino opens its doors to five Parsons Paris students for an exclusive visit to its showroom. This year, as part of the Spring Womenswear Paris Fashion Week season, Valentino extended the invitation to our first-year Fashion Design students to get a first-hand look at their collection, “Le Noir”.
Sumitee Narang
I eagerly anticipated the opportunity and was thrilled to witness the collection at the historic Hotel de maison. The exquisite Parisian interiors added to the overall experience. The entire ensemble reflects an 80s influence, featuring powerful shoulders and predominantly black hues. Examining each piece up close reveals incredible intricate details, with every seam meticulously hand-sewn. Feathers adorn numerous looks, including a revamped version of the iconic red rose dress, now in black. The renowned “IT Girl” moon bag also makes a reappearance in black. Noteworthy aspects of the show include detailed
lacework with floral patterns and a significant presence of feathers and crêpe. Overall, the collection exudes a theme of being bold, well-structured, and entirely in black.
Watch Sumitee’s Instagram reel here!
Stella Sjoklint
Today I had the honor of visiting Valentino and seeing their latest collection. The showroom was a beautiful house in the 7th arrondissement of Paris that used to belong to the iconic Karl Lagerfeld. The theme of the collection was all black which surprised me because my first association with Valentino is bold colors. The collection played with getting texture and light to show on a black palette. They did this trough the material choice, by using metallic feathers, knit, heavy and thin fabric and pulled it off in a mesmerising way. Pulling back to iconic Valentino designs from their archives paired with these new textures made for an incredible show. One garment that especially stuck with me was a beautiful gown made with tulle. The gown was covered in small tulle bubbles that contained tiny sequins that shimmered as the gown moved. Attending Valentinos re-see show was an amazing experience that left me feeling inspired and amazed at the seemingly endless possibilities in fashion and what can be created. Merci beaucoup for having me Valentino and Parsons Paris for this amazing experience.
Watch Stella’s Instagram reel here!
Esmee Grier
Such a cool experience. Firstly the venue was beautiful and contrasted perfectly against the chic, all black collection. At first I was surprised that there was no colour, especially as bold colours aren’t something Valentino shy away from, but the use of one colour really allows you to focus on the intricate detail of each garment – something that we have started to overlook. I think my favourite thing about the collection were the sheer dresses, and how delicate their designs were, which really embodies the principals of the collection. All in all it was an amazing experience, thank you!
Watch Esmee’s Instagram reel here!
Alexia Kempe
Fortunately, I had the honor to be invited to the Valentino Re-See. This was an amazing opportunity and allowed me to gain a better understanding of the process of a show and truly the detail and technique put into each and every piece. The clothing itself was amazing to see, everything was very delicate and intricate but had an overarching theme of monochromatism which I took an appreciation for. Learning that Valentino has begun inviting students to the Re-see due to his appreciation for education was really special because as fashion students being immersed in the industry itself is truly how we learn. I am very grateful I was able to attend the event, it gave me a better understanding and appreciation for the industry and intricacy as well.
Watch Alexia’s Instagram reel here!
Sophia El-Qorchi
My experience at the Maison Valentino showroom was extremely eye opening. I was fascinated by the new collection and its concept. I was so pleased to have had the opportunity to see the garments up-close and experience it first hand. I think it is incredibly progressive that Maison Valentino chooses to have fashion students attend their showrooms to inspire the next generation. As a fashion student, I can personally say that this experience has helped fuel my passion and my creativity. It allows students like myself to really integrate themselves into the fashion industry and be surrounded by prices that will make history.
Watch Sophia’s Instagram reel here!
