In the midst of this bitter cold, designers are churning out spring fashion campaigns, giving us a glimmer of hope that this all-encompassing season will come to an end at some point in the near future. The latest of which is the S/S 2015 Valentino ad, an ethereal look at angelic maidens as they pose in the waters and frolic in the woods in the Punta Ala region of Tuscany. Maartje Verhoef, Grace Simmons, Hedvig Palm, Vanessa Moody and Clémentine Deraedt model the Spring 2015 line, a collection of sheer fabrics, gilded starfish motifs, pastel shades and eclectic prints. In some images they lie along the shoreline at sunset as if in a surreal dreamscape, while others find them dancing in circles or planting flowers at invisible headstones like a coven of well-dressed witches. It’s a campaign that covers the spectrum of the collection from the softest looks to the most color-laden ensembles.
For this campaign, co-creative designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli chose to use Slovakian photographer Michal Pudelka, a relatively unknown artist to snap the shots. “Talent must be supported. He is not well known, but we were impressed by his images; you can see strength and fragility at the same time,” Chiuri told WWD. “His aesthetic taste is poetic, and he has a cinematographic vision. He is not informed on fashion, he has more of an artistic path and it’s interesting to see how he works, with preparatory sketches, as he draws the sets for the photos.”
But while the designers sing the artist’s praises and speak about rekindling the creativity within fashion, one has to wonder if their latest move is due to the backlash they’ve received over their recent work with controversial photographer Terry Richardson. Their last campaign with the photographer was the Fall 2014 accessories collection, and though it’s been a few months, it could be a way to move away from the conflict and earn a few brownie points within the creative community as well. Whether a strategic move or one truly based on admiration, it’s a beautiful campaign and we’re sure this is not the last we’ll see of Pudelka’s work.
