Valentino's Pierpaolo Piccioli Reformed Moncler Puffers

As part of the Genius project, which sees the luxury house drop new collections by a host of guest talents every month, Piccioli gives his take on the iconic Moncler puffer with a breathtaking series of padded, floor-length, and full-skirted dresses.

A collaboration set within a collaboration, the erudite Italian recruited the help of supermodel Liya Kebede and her brand Lemlem for his collection of voluminous nylon lacqué gowns. While similar in shape, each rendition of otherworldly outerwear remains distinct in colour and form. Hued in a varied palette that ranges from black and white to pink and daffodil yellow, some of the pieces feature dramatic, cocoon-like hoods, while others have bulbous flared sleeves or tent-like trains, and one particularly memorable version drapes off-the-shoulder with a huge bow trailing down the back.

Valentino's Pierpaolo Piccioli transformed the Moncler puffer coat into a range of evening gowns fit for a Renaissance ballroom. Taking outerwear to a different place entirely, Pierpaolo Piccioli enhanced the naturally voluminous nature of the down material to create dramatic, sculpted silhouettes with a firm avant-garde aesthetic, which she launched at last year's Milan Fashion Week. Created in collaboration with the model Liya Kebede, the gowns injected a colourful, creative direction the the art of couture.