"The
beauty of her heavenly face, that expressed benevolence and goodness, and whose
features were so regular and delicate, the loveliness of her figure, neck, and
arms, the exquisite freshness of her complexion – all was enchanting."
Such was the description of a woman from the diary of artist Elisabeth Vigee le Brun (pictured above in a self portrait). Though we don’t know who she was thinking of, we can imagine through her eyes a classic Rococo beauty full of life and allure. Famous for painting portraits of Marie Antoinette, Vigee le Brun captures the spirit of the period through her words and paint brush.
Romance,
soft gestures, playfulness…all were present in this 18th century world. The mood of the era is
embodied in the newest spring Red Valentino collection. The baby doll dress
silhouette often seen among the designers’ work is interpreted for a modern-day
Marie Antoinette with corset and lacing details.
Romantic
chokers and flower embellishments worn by the models resemble those of the
Queen herself.
The
collection wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the courtiers that
participated in the flirtatious banter in the garden and court of Versailles.
"The Swing" by Fragonard
Mirroring the breeches men wore, the models don feminine jumpers.
Artist
Jean-Frederic Schall
embraced the playful spirit of the period with his paintings of girls dancing.
Whether peasant or royal, life seems so pleasant when dancing…
With
a touch of romance, a floral embellishment and playful spirit, here’s to
embracing the beauty of the season.
Runway Photos: Vogue.com
