Luxurious T-Shirts by Valentino

by Marsha Reid (RSS feed)
May 21st 2010 at 8:02PM

If you've seen Valentino: The Last Emperor Standing, you knew from the moment the movie ended, there were going to be MAJOR changes happening at the fashion house. Since the release, Valentino has retired and ownership has changed. The new design-heads behind Valentino are Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli - who are far from new. The design duo have been working for 10 years with Valentino learning the in's and out's of couture technique.

In an effort to pay homage to the impeccably beautiful craftsmanship that is behind Valentino's glamorous gowns, while inviting a new customer base that may not have red carpets events or need exquisite gowns to wear to the Met Ball, Chiuri and Piccioli have designed what they hope will be a balance between the two – upscale t-shirts.

Although many media outlets are terming these tops as t-shirts, to be fair, that's far from the truth. To categorize them as t-shirts is to imply they are your inexpensive, run of the mill, casual cotton t-shirt that you could buy anywhere. That there is neither thought behind the design nor thought behind the craftsmanship. The word t-shirt conjures up an assumption regarding an appropriate price point ("I should pay no more than $XX for a t-shirt"). And if it doesn't met that very individualized expectation, than you are left to think Valentino t-shirts are simply over priced cotton t-shirts with embellishments.

Yes, they are significantly higher priced compared to their counterparts, but in actuality, they are better categorized as blouses. And I know that in no way warrants a price of over $500, however, an ultra luxurious, high end fashion house will never sell anything that feels appropriately priced and affordable to a majority of the world – especially Valentino. His stores are currently carrying 10 different styles with more to come from season to season. Made with jersey, each blouse is meticulously crafted with various accents of lace, embroidery, and crinoline and priced at $590 to $1,980.

So, as I get off my soapbox, I hope that I have put these gorgeously designed blouses in context for you and that you see these creations for the craftsmanship and luxurious beauty that Valentino has and will always be known for.

Gallery: Luxurious T-Shirts by Valentino