“Authentic rebellion has a grace. It does not scream, it is a state of mind,” read the Valentino show notes.
For the past few seasons, Pierpaolo Piccioli has been exploring his vision of masculinity, one that casts off gender stereotypes to focus on individual expression. After cycling through punk and streetwear, his journey led him to post-punk performers such as Adam Ant, The Cure and Visage.
In line with his ethos of quiet rebellion, the New Romantic influences were subtle — a smudge of eyeliner here, a silver spike stud there. The latter sprouted up on the sleeves of a slim navy double cashmere coat, or a lightweight black parka. A leather jacket would have been too formulaic, Piccioli argued.
“It’s about the personal gesture,” he said backstage. Behind him, a series of mood boards displayed images including a portrait by Italian Renaissance painter Lorenzo Lotto, dreamlike photographs by Duane Michals, and Keith Richards cavorting topless through a Belle Epoque mansion.
“It’s about the freedom for men to be exactly who you are. I think this is a moment when men are thinking about themselves. After centuries of rules, men maybe in these [last] three decades are trying to express themselves,” Piccioli added, by
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