Topping the final day of the couture event, Chiuri and Piccoli provided the week with the happy ending it so desperately needed. While other designers failed to inspire with offerings which, although beautiful, seemed better suited to ready-to-wear than they did the prestigious backdrop of Parisian couture, Valentino unveiled a refined, masterfully crafted series of gowns which entirely justified its presence on the schedule.

Clean silhouettes dominated. Bell-shaped gowns with round necklines were nipped in at the waist. Womanly, but never crudely so, the collection was a celebration of the female form. Taking the notion of dreams as a starting point, the designers explored the concept of imagination. Glistening glass beads and hand embroidered lace lent the clothes a sense of lightness.

Experts cutters, the designers worked with tulle and rigid organza to create some of the show's many standout pieces. Among them was a sweeping gown finished with an exotic bird motif created from tiny lemon stones. The theme of nature continued with a delicate floral lace which used to create a spellbinding long-sleeve bell-cut dress and to a sense of fragility to other, more structured pieces.

Since taking the reigns at Valentino in 2008 - following a decade of working as accessory designers- Chiuri and Piccoli have transformed a tired fashion house which lacked a relevance in contemporary fashion to a major global player, which seems only to get better with age.

Pioneering a new approach, this latest Valentino collection is a reminder that couture is not all about red-carpet ball gowns and Oscar night but to create a fantasy into which every fashion lover is invited to escape.