Recently I purchased a Valentino handbag. Not “the Valentino” of Rockstud shoes and dark floral boots fame but Mario Valentino.

Mario Valentino was a leather craftsman from Napoli and his fame as a fashion designer peaked in the 80s with edgy leather clothing, and sky high shoes and boots. Helmut Newton shot a lot of the brand’s iconic ads. I took inspiration from these 2 ads for my paper design in this post.

Since the founder’s passing in 1991 the brand has focused on handbags. I purchased this one at the Saks Off 5th. It’s great size for going out because it will carry a full size wallet and a larger sized phone.

Paper Art

This black outfit was inspired by the halter style on some of Valentino’s leather outfits. I love tight skirt with over-skirt and billowy pockets. I added some printed black paper to take away the starkness of the outfit.