The watcher and the one being watched. Where will our eyes point when there is nothing left to see but what is in front of us? A poetic reflection of the dynamics between what is presented and how it is perceived, or a straightforward way to put blinkers on our eyes and make us carefully and consciously observe what we are used to looking at without concern. Alessandro Michele brings back the kaiserpanoramas for Valentino’s Specula Mundi, not as the entertainment devices they were conceived as, but as a necessary tool and an almost last resort to strip our overstimulated brains of any thought different from the garments before our eyes, the white walls that surround them, and the way our gaze adapts to them.
Facing small quadrangular shapes has become the favourite activity of the 21st century. An extension of ourselves, these tiny bright rectangles receive our attention for multiple hours throughout the day, yet they have become so intertwined with our own personas that we do not even pay attention to them any more. We are glued to the screen, but rarely does anything we see on it stick in our brain. Apparently, tiny squares and rectangles have always been present to accompany human life, but not in the codependent dynamics we are now slaves to, rather as a place to redirect our attention to when we needed distraction, fun, or an escape from the real world.
The concept of kaiserpanoramas, brought to our present by the ever-curious mind of Alessandro Michele, was created in the early 19th century as a way of entertaining, of going somewhere, sitting in front of something, and watching only what was presented in front of us. We now do not need to go anywhere, we do not need to sit in front of anything, and we are not capable of only watching what is in front of us. Receiving thousands of stimuli at the same time, living everything everywhere all at once, it seems the human brain of the 21st century is not made to stay still and just observe. Michele made us redirect our eyes to only one place, like horses wearing blinkers, to just focus on what is in front.
Some people go to fashion shows to be seen rather than to see; some are more attentive to their surroundings, to who is sitting where, and to whether the way their legs are placed will look good on camera rather than to what they were invited for. Disrespectful practices among audiences are not uncommon. If you have the chance to go to fashion shows you may have noticed; if you do not, just watching the livestream of any show will allow you to witness this as well. Front-row attendees talking throughout the show, taking selfies while models walk in front of them, staring at the ceiling. With the dystopian setting created by Michele, you will see what you were invited to see. This was made for your eyes only, and you will have to use them only for this. No distraction, no looking to the sides, up or down, only in front.
Interesting dynamics arise from this challenge imposed on the usual practice of a fashion show, from both perspectives: from the watcher and from what is being watched. The watcher has in front of them a single figure stripped of any other element than the clothes they are wearing, no context surrounding them, and no other place to look for clues, references, or answers other than the carefully constructed garments standing in front of them. Here, the extravagant and theatrical Golden Age-inspired attire created by the Italian designer becomes subject to scrutiny, with nothing more than what it is to present and defend its case. With this level of undisputed craft, technical mastery, and creative excellence, the verdict cannot be anything other than a positive one. Yet, again, everything depends on the pair of eyes looking at them.
From the point of view of the one being watched, of the garments and who is wearing them, the picture that is painted is nothing short of symbolic. In the official images, each square is occupied by faces looking at the only thing they can be looking at. However, in the show, it is surprising (is it really?) how many of the squares are not occupied by eyes and faces, but by other tiny rectangles and their lenses. With such a restricted view, the impossible choice between having the privilege of looking at such a unique sight with our own eyes or having the privilege of sharing with the world that we got the chance to have such a unique sight in front of us is formulated. By the looks of it, many chose to share rather than to see.
All in all, this is fashion, and this is couture. The richness must not come only from how expensive the materials are, or how many thousands were spent on production. The narrative and the conceptual richness are the core and the fuel of any creative endeavour. A white circular room can have immeasurable value based on the countless thoughts it provokes, and the discussion born from the defiance of pre-established dynamics. Valentino Garavani knew how the thought is as important as the craft; a better homage could not be done.
