Paris Fashion Week: Valentino’s spring/summer 2023 show flaunted bold glitz and glamour, but celebrities Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Dove Cameron and Naomi Campbell were left waiting an hour

Oct 6 , 2022

Models wear creations for the Valentino ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

Valentino’s Paris Fashion Week show saw snared queues of black cars dropping off battalions of celebrities who, amid the commotion, just couldn’t find the entrance.

Dove Cameron, from left, Ashley Park, Florence Pugh and Zendaya pose for a photographer upon arrival at the Valentino ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

Nicola Peltz, left, and Brooklyn Beckham pose for a photographer upon arrival at the Valentino ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection, presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

Seated VIP guests were sweatily crammed in together inside the Le Marais venue, waiting (im)patiently as the show started an hour late, on October 2. While outside, screaming members of the public braved the rain for hours just for a glimpse of their favourite stars, that included Zendaya, Naomi Campbell, Florence Pugh, Erykah Badu, Ashley Park, Dove Cameron, Brooklyn Beckham and wife Nicola Peltz.

A model presents a creation from Valentino’s spring/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection during Paris Fashion Week on October 2. Photo: Xinhua

Fever pitch like this at Paris ready-to-wear is reminiscent of the French capital’s pre-pandemic fashion scene – and one more visible sign the industry is buoyant again after the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuts and transparencies were displayed in designs for the spring/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection of Valentino during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Xinhua

“Cuts and transparencies reveal the persona,” the brand said of designer Pier Paolo Piccioli’s glitzy spring collection that mixed gimmicks with moments of thoughtful fashion skill.

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A model with a bold “V” cut-out imprinted on her face for Valentino during the spring-summer 2023 fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on October 2. Photo: AFP

Models with faces and necks completely covered in disturbing interlocking “V” make-up began the show, introducing the theme of the reveal.

A model presents a bright red creation from the spring/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection of Valentino during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Xinhua

A model presents a glittering green creation from the spring/summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection of Valentino during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Xinhua

Valentino explored inside-out and back-to-front garments for its ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

The exploration of inside-out or back-to-front continued in a beautiful nude skin-like top with matching nude pants speckled sparingly with diaphanous plumes on model Anna Cleveland.

Models wore sparking creations by Valentino for its ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

A model wears a purple caped gown for Valentino during the spring-summer 2023 fashion show as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week, in Paris, on October 2. Photo: AFP

A model wears a gown creation by designer Pier Paolo Piccioli as part of his spring-summer 2023 women’s ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Valentino during Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Reuters

A coat had ostrich feathers peaking out from inside through the hems. The sides of some dresses were scooped out, while a dazzling purple sequinned floor-length gown revealed the model’s flesh only at the back.

Models present red ensembles for Valentino during the spring-summer 2023 fashion show as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week, in Paris, on October 2. Photo: AFP

Yet at times it felt as if the lauded Italian designer may have tried to fit too much in. By outfit No 91, it also felt exhausting – with fashion insiders fidgeting for the show to wrap up.

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A model wears a crisp white shirt for the Valentino ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

A model presents a sparkling creation for Valentino during the spring-summer 2023 fashion show as part of the Paris Womenswear Fashion Week, in Paris, on October 2. Photo: AFP

Models wore many different styles by designer Pier Paolo Piccioli as part of his spring-summer 2023 women’s ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Valentino during Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Reuters

Models wear unique and fashionable creations for the Valentino ready-to-wear spring/summer 2023 fashion collection presented on October 2, in Paris. Photo: Invision/AP

Designer Pier Paolo Piccioli walks during his spring-summer 2023 women’s ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Valentino during Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, on October 2. Photo: Reuters

The Valentino finale was the true reveal of the show, which was live-streamed: the models did not even walk past seated guests as usual, but straight outside to the cheering general public, making some inside feel superfluous.

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Paris Fashion Week

Valentino’s SS23 runway show kicked off an hour late at Le Marais, leaving A-list guests like Nicola Peltz, Brooklyn Beckham, Erykah Badu and Ashley Park waiting
Models strutted in glittering ensembles with cuts and transparencies to reveal designer Pier Paolo Piccioli’s inventive approach – though the show ran on a bit long for many restless VIPs