Downton Abbey x Valentino S/S 2012

Telegram - John Lunn

Maybe it was because of my Downton Abbey addled brain when I saw this the collection, but I could not help but think that Valentino S/S 2012 screamed Lady Mary Crawley all over. The Valentino collection was beautiful on its own merits with the soft fabrics and muted romantic palette but my love for the collection sky rocketed when I connected the dots together. I think that Valentino is one of those rare labels that made a seamless transition from its old designer (when Valentino retired) to its new designers. It's rather blasphemous to say so but I frankly actually like Valentino a lot better now under Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli than when Valentino himself designed the collection. I recognize Valentino's impact on the industry and his experience in couture yet I was never head over heels for every dress shown on the runway until now. I do think a lot of it has been commercialized and made substantially wearable, however the beauty, intricacy and details of the garments themselves have not been compromised. I do need to note that there is pattern going on in with designers nowadays (Balmain, Burberry and Lanvin are just three labels that come to mind but there is more) is that they essentially recycle the same formula over and over again for each new season with minor tweaks here and there, but the execution is so impeccable that you cannot really criticize that they're doing badly per se (their sales probably tells them they don't). Fewer and fewer designers are trying to push boundaries and innovate with each successive collection which is makes me miss Lee all the more–though there is still Ghesquière at Balenciaga and a handful of others to comfort me I suppose. Back to Downton Abbey...



Everybody on the set of Downton Abbey is supremely well dressed though I singled Mary out because her style most resonated with me. She has a wide range of clothing from soft even sultry dresses for dinners to hard, structured coats and suits for riding or running errands around the village. It is a shame that I cannot provide HQ screen caps because everything she wear is utterly splendid. The costume designer really did outdo herself with the attention to detail. Also I am thoroughly surprised to hear many of the pieces were recycled from films and dramas of the past due to budget restraints, when it seems like every piece was tailored to the show. Every Crawley sister have such a unique style that I did not think it would be possible to achieve that without having each costume made just for each character according to their different personalities and characteristics. All the more reason to applaud the production team for their efforts!



I simply cannot get enough of the drama. Everything is just incredible from the cinematography to the soundtrack (!!!) and acting, but what stands out is the amazing chemistry between the cast and clever witty dialogue. I like my humour sarcastic and dry and Lady Violet Grantham (played by Maggie Smith) never fails to deliver in every episode. I can watch just her and Isobel and Cora all day long if I have too. She's thoroughly immature in her obstinacy because she is just too used to having everything her own way. Other favourite characters include, Carson the butler (how hilarious is his background which totally explains why he is so stringent on proper manners and etiquette), Mrs. Hughes (for always being so righteous and fair), Bates (such a sweetheart), good ol' Anna, sweet naïve William, Molesley... ooof the list goes on. The real reason why I enjoy the show so much is how complex and realistic each character is. There is no truly good or bad characters in this show as everyone has their own virtues and vices (even for Thomas though I groan and want to punch the screen every scene he's on). To be honest I never thought that I could say much about Mary as she wasn't my favourite character at the start, though as she matures and learns (only the hard way it seems) through multiple heartbreaks and dashed dreams that you cannot help but feel for her. She's had such a shielded life that it's no wonder she's so selfish and cannot see things from other people's perspective. And how can I hate her when she pulls off the top hat with such aplomb?

Images via Google, made into horrible collages by yours truly