Drawing from 17th century French aristocracy and the history of fencing, creative director Giambattista Valli presented a romantic, but sporty rendition of his feminine collections for Moncler Gamme Rouge. Filled with nipped waistlines, flared hips and short, barely-there bottoms, he used modern materials to create a line of historically-referenced looks that translated beautifully into contemporary wear.

Dreamy soft dresses floated down the garden runway in light organza, tulle and dentelle lace, but were kept modern with additions of textiles like embroidered PVC and rebrodé mesh. A well-known couturier, Valli couldn’t help but add soft details and dimension into the pieces with floral appliqués, thread rebrodé or sequins. Lily of the valley and jacquard prints added a luxurious, aristocratic element to the line, but didn’t feel heavy on already opulent designs.

The collection’s inspiration came through in shapes and cuts—diagonal and vertical closures were prevalent on jackets and dresses, and baroque and rococo silhouettes were seen throughout the show. Some models walked out with fencing masks perched atop their head or a foil blade tucked under their arm to tease the theme of the show. During the final presentation, models were accompanied by a fleet of fencers who flanked them on either side of the grassy runway, driving home the collection’s inspiration.