Over 20 meters of brown tulle was used for the base of the cape, and then 120 meters of silk taffetas—in 17 different colors—were used for the roses and leaves applied overtop. Additionally, the leaves were made from eight meters of lacquered dark green fabric. The 3-D roses alone took over 1,800 hours of work, and the cape took 600 hours. “Pierpaolo and the atelier have a commitment to building emotion and narrative through color,” says Roth. “It’s not just greens and pinks—it’s five different greens, five different pinks.”
Just as the striking piece evokes the life cycle of a flower, Roth was also moved by the fact that that the cape would be Piccioli’s final Valentino couture design. “It added another layer of meaning for what this piece is,” says Roth. “Again, it’s about the lifecycle and transition. And, of course, there is sorrow, in that extraordinary chapter of the house being done.” When Roth slipped it on during the final fitting, it fit the exact vision he had from the outset. “I felt whole and honest,” says Roth, “and I felt like I had a new understanding of what beauty could be.”
Below, see more exclusive photos from Roth’s fittings and Met Gala night.
Photo: Alban Roger