Italian Women’s High Fashion Spring-Summer 2007 – Valentino

Images of Jacqueline Kennedy seducing the world, the women of Sean Connery’s James Bond, and the grand festival at Woodstock must have been in the mind of Valentino while designing his Spring-Summer 2007 line. White and variation of white are the dominant colors interrupted occasional by cream or lavender tones. Soft fabrics and flowing forms accentuating the feminine body are the basic textures. Fluffs and frills, in different degrees, intersect with traditional embroidery and lace. Shoulder pads and square backed jackets are back, perhaps to balance the extra volume of the fluffs on the otherwise form hugging designs. This line is a reminder of the elegance of the sixty’s balance light and airy shoulders leading into pronounced splits revealing the beautiful body just enough in a “see, can’t see” illusion.


The Spring Summer 2007 Valentino line offers an interesting twist on the tube dress. The initial impression is that of a familiar line, something you could see in a James Bond movie with Sean Connery but a closer look reveals tantalizing transparent fabrics revealing silhouette images of what is lying just underneath the veil thin cloth. The ridged silk ribbons enhance the tease. While these outfits would most likely not be appropriate for business wear they would be perfect for most nights on the town including the more formal settings.










As in all things, fashion is about balance and what can accentuate a concept, when the compliment becomes the focus things can go very bad. Ladies, I do not pretend to have even a minimal understanding of the beauty and grace that Valentino creates but I do know what I like. These outfits with the mega fruffles are too much. Somehow I relate the outfits to women. A few extra pounds are exciting, accentuating the femininity of a woman’s body but when the pounds are significant, the creases and rolls dominate the overall vision and I lose interest.


I like the return of the shoulder pads on most women. They give me the impression of a strong and fit woman. I really do not know why but I prefer the wide, slightly muscular or toned shoulders rather than the weeping willow structure. The shoulder pads evidence the shoulder and the shoulder jacket brings attention immediately to the neck and face. Valentino also plays on this concept with fabrics that widen the shoulder instead of just bringing it up. I have noticed this in several designer lines this year.











The form fitting sixties styles are sexy. Valentino has taken the populous look and made it high fashion with some truly exuberant laces and silks. These are elegant, truly works of art. They will not be appropriate for anything except the formal occasion however when you walk into the room with this on you will be the center of everyone’s attention. I would not be surprised to see this on the Diva walks in Hollywood this spring.


Finally these are my favorites, they are provocative, elegant, sexy, playful, down to earth, and feminine. They can be worn by the “I am beautiful” and the “Stupendously Intelligent Geek” and will seem appropriate in both situations. Whether you are coy or an extrovert these designs will adapt to your personality and your look. Sometimes a designer creates a work of art where everything just comes together in perfect balance. They may be a bit much for the everyday work environment but wouldn’t it be fun to try?





Tags: High Fashion Spring Summer Fashion Valentino Milan Women's Fashion Italian Fasion Travel Italy