Alvin Valley

He may be “lord of the pants”, but so much more is right about Alvin Valley’s spring–summer 2005 collection, writes Phillip D. Johnson...

MR. ALVIN VALLEY, who just celebrated his 30th birthday, sent out a spring 2005 collection that was absolutely the best work he has ever done in his short but illustrious career. With each new season, Mr Valley demonstrates a concrete ability to grow and experiment with new forms, shapes and cuts. He knows that there's no nobility in being known as a one-trick pony, therefore he has expanded his repertoire to further show his growing skill as as a designer of future fabulous gowns and evening pieces. He has sharpened his focus in all areas, which has resulted in collections that are well-received by both the buyers and their customers.

The inspiration for his latest collection came from 'the jet-set world of Salvador Dali, his wife-muse, Gala and their summers spent in the Costa Brava region, along with the Gaudi architecture of the Catalunya area and the Surrealist work of Miro.' It was also a collection replete a underlying 1970s influence, with ’70s rock-and-roll attitude, ’70s hair, and a clean make-up palette that was so prevalent on so many other designers' runways during the week.

Still in safari–military mould, a holdover from the fall 2004 collection, he opened the show with a knee length linen skirt paired with a military-cut blazer that any smart, urban clothes-obsessed woman would love to own. I especially thought that his variation on the trench—with ruffled collars—and paired with highwaisted trousers or smartly cut skirts was a wonderful alternative to the straightforward trench coat.

Spring means swimsuits; and Mr Valley's were daring (such as his high-waist one-piece suits in shiny black), softly girlish (such as his Guell print bikini botom paired with a Guell print long sleeve blouse) and altogether fresh (such as in the case of his blue two-tone V-neck one-piece bathing suit). Read more...