http://www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA JUNE 119
travelling the length and breadth of this mar-
vellous country, and above all, Rajasthan. I’ve
always been fascinated by the richness of In-
dia’s culture, history and visual iconography. It
is here that I created my fi rst garments and ac-
cessories, at a very young age, long before my
brand was born. There is a unique knowledge
of craftsmanship that spans handmade embroi-
deries and a rare sensibility of using colours, a
respect for traditional techniques along with
the ability to fi nd new solutions to creative evo-
lution. The optimism, effervescence and resil-
ience of the Indian people is another aspect I
hold dear to my heart.
KC: Let’s talk about the Valli woman.
GV: For the autumn/winter 2019-20 collection,
I looked at photographs by Guy Bourdin that
ooze an intimate but uninhibited and voyeuris-
tic feel of sensuality, and the effortless beauty
of the fl owers of Jardins de Giverny painted by
Claude Monet. Comfortable in her own femi-
ninity and effortlessness has always been the
state of mind of the Valli woman, and merging
these inspirations translated in a strong, al-
most ’80s silhouette. My woman doesn’t hide
her personality behind trends; she is free-spirit-
ed, unrestricted by conventions and responds
to the concepts of ageless, timeless and effort-
less. A dress by itself is like an empty house—it
needs a body to live in it.
KC: You call both Rome and Paris your
home. Tell us how both the cities perco-
late into your designs.
GV: I’m Roman, but Paris is the city that
adopted me. I always say that as a Roman I am
wired for grandeur and never scared of beauty;
I was born surrounded by it. Rome runs
through my work in a subtle way. It is a city of
eccentricity, fantasy and illusions. Paris, on the
other hand, is the synonym for excellence and
the savoir faire of craftsmanship. For maisons
of haute couture, “excellence” is not only about
clothes but also about culture, rituals and ges-
tures. I’ve had the privilege of these being
passed down to me by Monsieur Emanuel Un-
garo, who was taught by Cristobal Balenciaga
himself! Being a Roman in Paris gives me a cer-
tain duality, an ability to merge the knowledge
of Italian high-quality industrial creation in
ready-to-wear and the most sophisticated
French techniques in haute couture.
KC: How do you think couture is being re-
invented for 2019?
GV: Haute couture is where a designer gets to
experiment not only with the highest quality of
decorations and fabric, but also with silhouette,
shape and cuts.Itis alsowhereyoushouldbeabletonarrate dreams,
where fantasyshouldrunfree.I launchedmy first haute couture collec-
tion in 2011,duringa timeofeconomiccrisisandwhen many couture
houses had stoppeddoingshows.EveryonethoughtI wasreckless, but as
it turns out, thereis a cravingforrealcreativityduringtrying times. So
much so that nowadayshautecoutureweekinParisis one of the busiest
weeks in fashion.Today,I amoneofthefewdesignersand couturiers
who is a founder,majorityshareholder,presidentandcreative director of
a namesake label,whichgoestoshowtonext-generation designers that
it is possible,throughhardwork,knowledge,braveryand a little bit of
recklessness, tobethedirectorof yourownmovieratherthan an actor in
somebody else’s.>RihannaKendall
JennerSerenaWilliamsVALLI’S INDIA
“In Jaipur I can spend long evenings with
no care for time at Bar Palladio, where
the incredible talent of designer Marie-
Anne Oudejans and her Dutch take on
Indian aesthetics shines through.Getting lost in the precious volumes of
books at the Rambagh Palace bookstore.Visiting the Gem Palace, where I
remember spending hours having
exquisite conversations over tea and
lassi with my late friend Munnu Kasliwal
and his son and meeting extraordinary
people like Her Highness Gayatri Devi.The highlight of this year’s trip was
visiting the heavenly Suryagarh in
Jaisalmer, a place where you really
understand what luxury means.”VALLI GI
Stars in red-carpet-RLS
couture by Giambattista ready
Valli