For the Valentino Resort 2022 collection, which reads as a sort of prequel to the Spring season, the lookbook was shot in the Marais, a lively arrondissement populated by a hip and diverse crowd, in a café called Le Progrès. “I want to bring life and a sense of reality into Valentino,” he said over Zoom from his studio in Rome. “Bringing it out of the atelier while retaining the savoir faire of the atelier.”

Piccioli’s message is calibrated to appeal to younger generations, for which such values are a given; at Le Progrès, the cast included singer and TikTok-er Dixie D’Amelio; model and editor of the online platform the Youth Collective Project Amanda Prugnaud; filmmaker Christian Coppola; and actress Tina Kunakey.

In the new collection, Piccioli show his  sartorial work around the suit. He Valentino-fied the construction, making the jacket’s cut extra malleable, keeping the shoulders supple, the fabric soft to the touch, and the silhouette fluid, while energizing the look with his colorist’s eye. He wanted the suit to feel as light as an evening dress, keeping the sartorial allure but with the typical Valentino grace.

Every piece of the collection was treated individually to make it stand out on its own, not only adding to its value but also allowing for the layered, personal styling which is becoming a sort of signature of Piccioli’s tenure. Shapes were simple and almost elemental, without any grandeur,” and enhanced by elaborate decorations.

A slender, slightly masculine white wool coat was appliquéd with floral ramages cut-out in black velvet, while a simple oversized black tee was intarsia-ed with lace as if a dressy blouse were somehow patchworked onto it. Eccentric flourishes were lavished on everyday pieces—feathers dotted sweats, capes, and svelte minidresses; long braided fringes trimmed ponchos; intricate broderie anglaise techniques appeared on slender, minimal tunics; and romantic blouses were encrusted with precious lace and worn with denim. “I wanted to make what is ordinary more imaginative and fantastical,” Piccioli said. “This is just extra-ordinary daywear.”