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Valentino: Creamy as a High Gstaad Slope

It is well known in the world of fashion that Valentino is an avid skier, whose preferred skiing resort is Gstaad. As there is no snow in sight in the Swiss Alps right now, the designer came up with his own solution for his men's fall-winter 2007 collection. He envisioned the opening of the show in blinding snow white.

After last winter's homage to the blockbuster movie "Brokeback Mountain" in which he sent two of the model world's studliest guys down the runway hand in hand, Will Chalker and J.R., Valentino focused on a spotless performance in the finer hotel lobbies of the Alps. We suggest the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz or the Grand Hotel Bellevue in Gstaad, made contemporary with giant Matrix-style screens crammed with flowing numbers – again in white.

Out came a parade of suits in ecru and palest cream from six-button double-breasted to two-button singles. As always, Valentino went for super polished styling and they were worn with ties and precious neck scarves as well as ubiquitous pochettes. Valentino, alone, is not obsessed with the new super slim silhouette dominating this season, in which every house is following the beat of Paris drummer Hedi Slimane. Sir Val certainly does not need to; his design repertoire is always classic with a twist.

One standout suit was his new one-button in business grey on German star model Lars, a perfect cast for a Valentino show with patrician upper-crust air. If only Visconti were around to cast him in a decadent role. Moreover, Valentino loaded his catwalk with super fine knitwear, the highlight being a pea coat looking cardigan with silver buckle closures, picking up on the metallic moment in Milan.

Otherwise this was Val on his own terms; and his best collection this century.

* Couture: A Paler Shade of Valentino		* A Very Betsey Birthday Bash * Martha Davis: Industrial Design Meets Shoes