As soon as the set for the Valentino Fall 2022 show comes into frame, it is clear that Pierpaolo Piccioli's signature use of colour blocking would be evident at the show. What we perhaps didn't preempt, after such a sprawling Haute Couture show earlier this year, was an entirely monochromatic one with the single use of eye-bleeding pink.

For Fall 2022, the eye is deceived. Punch-you-in-the-face-pink – which Piccioli is collaborating with Pantone Color Institute to create a unique identity for – is everywhere, but a Valentino collection under Piccioli has seemingly never been so simple. Stripped bare, the hue pervades the entire collection save for a few moments of black and white that punctuate the monochromatic set, and so the eye is drawn to the details. Such details are deftly executed under Piccioli's touch, focussing in on perfectly tailored silhouettes and expert embroidery.

Architecture is everywhere, straight out of the gate. A jumpsuit featuring a wavy, structured neckline followed by a dynamic half-cup bra and full midi skirt open, followed by more fluid silhouettes. A sheer organza shirt with puffed sleeves is tucked into a pair of watery, low rise trousers, followed by a slouchy double breasted suit.

 

Sequin embellished two piece sets move through the space alongside mini dresses with hyper-short hems and appliqué flowers, all accessorised with sky high platform pumps and shoulder-high evening gloves - the kind we have seen return to the runway for Fall 2022 shows.

"Pink as a manifestation of the unconscious and a liberation from the need for realism." A press release reads. "The accumulation of pink elements is such as to eliminate the visual shock to bring out, together, the unique character of the person, expressed by the face and the eyes, and the work on the pieces of clothing: the signs that shape them into a silhouette, the textures that give them consistency, the decorations that are part of the construction."

Should it be the right season, we'd be mistaken that this was a couture show. Save for a couple of casual bomber jackets thrown into the mix, the collection is significantly more dramatic than past RTW collections from Piccioli. And while the attention to detail is immensely evident when colour and pattern isn't there to distract, Fall 2022's shapes, with the cut out lace, s-shaped lines, and intricate embroideries that "swarm" the collection, read like couture.

Watch the Valentino Fall 2022 show, below.