The codes of menswear according to Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maison Valentino

The search for essence and its definition has always been central to the vision of Maison Valentino's creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli. Reflecting on the rigidity of convention and focusing on the grey areas where the individual can move most freely, Pierpaolo Piccioli's work is characterized by a sense of balance and grace made up of precise and vibrant lines. This gave rise to Maison Valentino Essentials, an investigation limited to the men's wardrobe and the elements that make it up: a compilation of pieces from the Valentino collections, streamlined in their design essence and organized in an expandable and evolving system.

A deeply felt reflection on the meaning of contemporary masculinity, noting that many barriers have fallen in terms of what and how a man should feel and look. For Pierpaolo Piccioli, romance and fragility are part of a bigger picture, as is the discourse on diversity. This awareness sets in motion a process in which opposites merge in incredibly fluid ways and masculine codes are reshaped in harmony with the couture spirit of the Maison. The result is formal wear that is charged with lightness and free of gender connotations, challenging the arrogance typically associated with the concept of masculinity. Pierpaolo Piccioli has looked at men's fashion through the lenses of 1950s and 1960s Italian cinema and subcultures that dissolved the image of iron man to achieve more spontaneity.

This all leads to another aspect, namely attitude - when this changes, everything changes; it is a question of perception. Tailoring finds its way into forms that naturally accompany the body, regardless of gender and shape, reinforcing the timelessness of the rituals and processes of couture and the humanism it embodies. Reduced to their essence, garments such as tailored blazers, Bermuda shorts, foulard blouses, coats, suits, and Valentino Garavani accessories become material extensions of time, transforming into tools of non-conformist and individual expression, uniforms that are sometimes inclusive and sometimes alienating, which, according to creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, is the essence of what fashion represents.