Giambattista Valli makes clothes that seem from another time. Part of it is because he tends to skew retro, which he did again for fall, paying homage to the mid-Sixties-Seventies mode with long, straight silhouettes and peasant sleeves that referenced Eastern motifs. But the main reason is that Valli’s vision, marked by grand formality, resists modernity.

This collection had moments of beauty, including some great long riding coats, ombréd furs and real peacock feathers. There was even a new idea in a sheer tank attached to white wide-cut bottoms, creating a novel jumpsuit. But even without all the puffed up volume Valli has favored in seasons past, these clothes felt overdone. The fabrics, such as double-faced satin and elaborate brocade, were ultraluxe, no question, but there was nothing light or fresh about them.