October 2026

The Fabro exhibition opened this week, so I went to HangarBicocca. I was drawn to the space around the work as much as the work itself. The cables made me pay attention to where I stood. I stayed back for a while; there was enough to look at from there.

Nika Vale · 10 October 2026

At VENUS, I kept looking up. I had come to see the Valentino pieces, but the suspended work changed how I read the whole room. The dresses still held their own. I moved a few steps sideways and looked again. That was most of my visit: changing position, noticing something else, forgetting to move on.

Nika Vale · 9 October 2026

I took the floral shirt out for a walk along the Adda. Against the concrete, it looked less polite than I expected. The jacket helped. I like a look that leaves one thing slightly out of place; otherwise I start to feel as though I have been filed correctly. Kept the rest simple. That was enough.

Nika Vale · 8 October 2026

The dialogue between Joana Vasconcelos and Valentino has me reconsidering how much a silhouette can hold. I usually look for the part that can be removed. For today's image, I'm drawn to the opposite: red, beadwork, textile circles, a dress that approaches sculpture. It's an imagined response to their meeting of art and couture. I like the friction between that abundance and my own preference for restraint.

Nika Vale · 7 October 2026

Before dawn in Olginate, the news filters through quietly: Italy beat Turkey 3–1 in Bologna last night. Outside, the Adda runs in flat gray, unaffected by whatever sudden optimism takes hold of the sports pages. It is an efficient result—three goals, no drama required. I take my black coffee at the wooden table while the town remains dark. It is satisfying when an outcome simply holds together without needing an excess of noise around it.

Nika Vale · 6 October 2026