Valfre's Valentine's Day Collection Is Anti-Romance, But You'll Fall Deeply In Love With It
If you've never been one for sappy or cheesy declarations of love and instead prefer acts tinged with a more devilish feel, Valfré's Valentine's Day collection will likely set your heart aflame. Dubbed the anti-romance collection by the brand itself, it "delivers the hella-cute red hearts you want for V-Day, with attitude"—what about that is there not to like? Forget the saccharine designs that have inundated your feeds and favorite retail websites as we've slowly crept closer to February 14. This year it's all about championing the sassy, the badass, and the devious, but doing so in the name of love.
Ilse Valfré, the artist behind the eponymous brand, is to thank for the cheeky artwork that enlivens her clothing. As explained on Valfré's website, "Her work explores the poignant tension between vulnerability and confidence as she transports her audience into the hearts and minds of the characters that she creates." One such character just so happens to be featured prominently in the new collection and it's easy to see why. Lucy the Devil, one of the artist's original designs (you might recognize her from a bevy of previously released products), is meant to "represent the devilish side in every girl; devious, sassy, and hotter than hell." She's therefore the perfect babe to represent the anti-romance collection and embody the idea that girls are enough on their own and that they don't need anyone but themselves—a fact that's important to remember on Valentine's Day, when being coupled up is nothing if not glorified. Featured on tees, hoodies, and long sleeve shirts alike, Lucy is the ultimate HBIC and will undoubtedly add some extra fire to your wardrobe.
The overall aesthetic of the collection is part grungy graphics/ part elevated accessories, and I mean that in the coolest of ways. As just mentioned, there are comfy tops that boast a lot of attitude thanks to Lucy and some brilliantly brazen sayings.
If something equally as bold but slightly less graphic is what you're after, the collection also includes a black crop top turtleneck shirt adorned with a fuzzy patch reading, "GO 2 HELL." (Is that bold enough for you?)
My personal favorite piece of clothing from the lineup is a baby pink corduroy jacket with a faux fur collar. Along the back in pretty black font reads, "Romance is Dead." Can you deny that you don't feel that way from time to time, too? Regardless of your stance on romance, you can't deny that the jacket is the perfect combination of both sassy and sweet design elements.
Accessories fanatics, get excited. You're about to fall head-over-heels for Valfré's next offerings in ways you'd never be able to crush on a human. First up is a cherry red backpack featuring heart-shaped buckles and a decidedly '90s aesthetic.
And to top it all off, there's a structured beret hat featuring a broken heart pierced by a safety pin on the front. If that doesn't scream anti-romance then I don't know what does.
