Be Mine, Valentino

Anyway, on to my topic du jour. I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz lately about a documentary called Valentino: The Last Emperor (which actually debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September). The film chronicles the private life of renowned designer Valentino, who once designed for such stylistas as Jackie O. and Elizabeth Taylor, and pays tribute to his illustrious 45-year-long career. When Valentino showed his final haute couture collection in Paris last January it was a momentous event, and many fashion followers mourned the end of an era. But here’s some happy news for all you brides-to-be: the master couturier himself actually designs a line of wedding dresses in collaboration with Pronovias (pronovias.com). As you can see from the pictured sketch (and real-life version) the man is truly an artiste. For his 2009 bridal collection, Valentino hearkens back to the 1960s and ’70s, combining elegant clean lines and superior construction with romantic floral lace. This effortlessly chic dress would be perfect for a beachside soiree―just imagine how that extra-long sash would catch the breeze―and the empire waist is very now. I’m curious, what does the dress of your dreams look like? And if money were no object (a girl can dream, right?), which designer would you choose?