FASHION
Another Divisive Valentino Collection by Alessandro Michele
By: Madison Antino Edited by: Tessa Reiner
2025’s Couture Week began in Paris, kicking off the beginning of Fashion Month with some highly anticipated shows. Ludovic de Saint Sernin took over for Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2025 couture collection, and Alessandro Michele’s debut couture collection at Valentino hit the runway. Titled “Vertigineux,” French for dizzying, the show was exactly that, as models crossed the runway in enormous hoop-skirt ball gowns and large, poofy ruffles jutting out of their sleeves. Michele, known for his penchant for maximalism, took to the Valentino archives, composing his debut full of references to the 70s and 80s. However, Michele’s style is incredibly distinct, and many fashion critics have expressed that the new Valentino seems, in fact, old. Since Michele became the creative director of Valentino, their collections have felt slightly repetitive, with the same over-the-top styling, antiquish accessories, and vintage silhouettes that not-too-long ago made Gucci “cool” again.
Alessandro Michele, Italian fashion designer and Valentino’s creative director.
Michele’s seven year run as creative director for Gucci was revolutionary; he revived the storied Italian fashion house’s sales and transformed Frida Giannini’s sleek, glamorous, aesthetics into his now iconic maximalist chic. His dismissal from the brand was shocking to say the least, as he had spent the previous 20 years of his career moving up in the ranks at Gucci, leading accessory design, leathers, and eventually being promoted to Giannini’s associate creative director. Michele’s departure was equally as shocking as Pierpaolo Piccioli leaving Valentino, where Piccioli had worked for over two decades. Upon Piccioli’s departure, Valentino seemed to be as popular as ever, with Zendaya as a brand ambassador and viral, staple items such as sky-high patent platforms that appeared on almost every red carpet. Although Michele worked wonders at reviving Gucci, it didn’t seem like Valentino needed reviving, or a complete 180 of aesthetics. Michele obviously heavily respects the archive with his vintage references and twists on classic house codes, so what exactly is the issue with his aesthetic?
Alessandro Michele’s designs haven’t changed one bit since making the move to Valentino, with critics dubbing his ready-to-wear debut as “Vucci.” The only difference is his shabby, extravagant designs have been combined with his newfound obsession with the Valentino archives. Although Michele’s collections at Gucci and Valentino might look eerily similar, he has been able to put his own twist on several archival pieces from the 70s and 80s. A crimson, layered tulle frock with puffed out sleeves referenced a couture look from Fall/Winter 1977. A cocktail dress with padded shoulders and a drapey fuschia skirt drew inspiration from Fall/Winter 1987.
A particularly popular critique of Michele’s couture debut was that the collection appeared too “costumey.” The collection lacked restraint, and each look was incredibly dramatic, from the giant turquoise pannier skirt to giant silky bows in jewel tones. Even the show notes passed throughout the crowd were dramatic, spanning about two hundred pages. New York Times critic Vanessa Friedman wrote that the collection was, “an exercise in designer self-indulgence.”
Couture doesn’t exactly need to be practical, but it does need to be wearable for the slim crowd of multi-millionaires willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for these looks. With this drastic change from sleek and romantic to excessive and slightly old-fashioned, many wonder where the couture clients from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s days have gone, as well as what this can tell us about the state of high fashion as a whole. Valentino sales were rising steadily at the beginning of the decade, reporting a 15% growth just between 2021 and 2022. Gucci’s sales remained consistent with Michele’s popularity, until dropping around 20% once he departed the brand in November 2022. Fashion’s game of musical chairs between creative directors has become tired, now that almost monthly there are reports of yet another fan-favorite designer leaving their position to transform a different fashion house, regardless of sales status. And with the very recent news that Sabato de Sarno, Michele’s replacement, has just exited Gucci, time will only tell what Gucci and even Valentino’s next move might be.
: Fash10nBeautySU!
