The Red Carpet Highlights of... The 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival 2024!
Philosophy is a tool and the clothes the end goal, at least he is looking for meanings in his work that connects him to his life and obsession.
I honestly prefer when designers have other interests, keeping them secret or making them known, it's their freedom and privilege: tbf the designers who are solely into fashion can be quite shallow sometimes, and it may reflect on their designs too. And they don't last in the circuit.
milanofinanza.it/Alessandro Michele’s philosophy of fashion
«Critical thinking has guided me throughout my journey since my first runway show for Gucci in 2015», the designer explains at the Turin book fair. There, he presents his literary debut a year and a half after parting ways with Gucci. Among his earliest fashion memories, he mentions a dress by Valentino Garavani. How are you preparing for your first runway show with Valentino? «First of all, I live...»
«How do I prepare for my first runway show with Valentino? First of all, I live...». This is how Alessandro Michele dodges the question that everyone would like to ask him during his first public appearance, a year and a half after leaving Gucci.
The designer is attending the Turin book fair as a guest for his literary debut, a journey at the intersection of fashion and philosophy, which he openly confesses to being passionate about. As the MFF journalist, patiently awaiting her turn to have her copy signed, asks him about his vision for Valentino, where he recently assumed the role of creative director less than two months ago, he replies, «I do not know yet. Valentino has an impressive archive; it is truly an extraordinary place».
The Roman designer makes a subtle comeback in the media, co-authoring a book about the philosophy of fashion with Emanuele Coccia, one of the most esteemed contemporary philosophers. «Right from the start, I thought that philosophy was the language closest to fashion, and from then on, it became the language of everything I did», he explained in a talk moderated by Daria Bignardi. The designer is welcomed and celebrated by a large audience of admirers, many of whom are very young and proudly showcase the accessories and garments he created for Gucci.
La vita delle forme. Filosofia del reincanto retraces Alessandro Michele’s remarkable career, aiming to unveil the profound essence of fashion. From his first encounter with clothing, his mother’s evening dress, to his tenure as creative director at Gucci. It is a journey into the personal and professional life of the designer, who shares the pivotal moments that have shaped his soul and defined his aesthetic. Alessandro Michele will officially return to the fashion spotlight in september, assuming the creative leadership of Maison Valentino, succeeding Pierpaolo Piccioli.
In September, you will officially return to the fashion spotlight at the helm of Maison Valentino. How are you preparing?
First of all, I live. This is a time for deep reflection. It is all about staying grounded and finding inspiration in simple things. And I am buying more books; I think they are incredibly powerful.
In your book, you mention that one of your earliest memories related to fashion is of your mother’s evening dress, probably a piece by Valentino Garavani. Will you take inspiration from it for your designs?
Maybe, I do not know yet. Valentino has an impressive archive; it is truly an extraordinary place.
How did your interest in philosophy develop?
When I was trying to define my own style, I struggled to find my own language. I could not quite explain what I was doing. That is when my partner, who is deeply passionate about philosophy, started reading passages to me that sparked inspiration. Right from the start, I thought that philosophy was the language closest to fashion, and from then on, it became the language of everything I did.
The book retraces your career, including your debut runway show for Gucci in 2015...
Before 2015, there was a strong focus on marketing; a lot of time was spent on the product, and items lost their intrinsic value. Philosophy guided me through this journey; I adopted it as my language. In my first press release, there was hardly any mention of fashion. However, it was the essence of everything I did.
Today, it is normal to see a guy wearing a shirt with a bow, lilies of the valley in their hair, and sandals on their feet. It was you who introduced this aesthetic to the world...
I work by observing, and to me, the things I did seemed entirely natural. In fact, it seemed strange to me that the fashion world was not acknowledging the significant transformations it had undergone over the years. Following the show, people started talking about the concept of gender fluidity, but I had never heard that word before.
And it was a revolution...
I talked about beauty; I felt it was a beautiful way to narrate the essence of humanity and the different elements that make it up, including clothing. Even with models, I aim to create characters rather than uniform them. The universe is full of diversity, it thrives on diversity, and without such variety, perhaps life would not even exist. This, I believe, is the only language that truly brings things to life.
You co-authored the book «La vita delle forme. Filosofia del reincanto» with Emanuele Coccia. How did you two meet?
I listened to one of his podcasts. Then I had the opportunity to meet him face-to-face and have meaningful conversations with him. Through these interactions, we found that we had many things in common.
And where did the idea of the book come from?
It all happened quite naturally. Our encounter was like magic, a meeting of lives; it was not just an editorial meeting. Our conversations started during the pandemic, and we talked frequently for a year before we began the writing process. The book is a piece of life; it is as if we discovered a way to express what we see and feel.
It is a treatise on the philosophy of fashion. What is your personal relationship with fashion?
I approach it in a fluid and open way, though it is often misinterpreted by many. Through this book, I wanted to reconnect fashion with bodies, which ultimately represent lives and emotions. Clothing holds such an intimate relationship with our lives that it cannot be explained in a simplistic or reductionist manner.
Do you see things that others do not?
I am not sure. Let’s say we simply exist, which is one of the most fascinating things. I am passionate about humanity; I feel and see things, and I approach my work in a personal and intense way. At 51, I feel a sense of freedom, which heightens my senses. Ultimately, it is a form of exercise; I do not think it is a gift, but being able to practice it is certainly a gift.
Where does this freedom come from?
I believe that in life, you only get one shot, and I have approached things with a deep sense of awareness and sincerity. Everything in my life, including this book, has happened in a natural way. I cannot help but be true to myself, and since my work is an extension of who I am, I have done it and continue to do it with immense passion, sincerity, and dedication.
Lol, this is ridiculous
:-) his press release for show always was filled with philosophical idea´s & approacht this in direct counter balance with his child like curiosities which often resulted him in braken rules of what is deemed normal beauty standards etc more of a case of why not then a overthought intelectual idea to push boundaries
i feel on this forum we for sure dable also in the ideal of what fashion is or should be etc that is philosophy as well
Michele has opened this side of him a couple of times, actually. His show notes, for example. I just think it's interesting that people probably did't noticed it because he don't seem to be making "intellectual fashion" (whatever that is).
fashion has brilliant theorists, even fashion historians (like laver, steele or boucher) explore very interesting sociological concepts, fashion outsiders like barthes, simmel and veblen (the last two are from the 19th century when fashion wasn't the beast that it is today but lol) also tried to apply metholodies and concepts from their areas to explain fashion.
There are a few. I need to get deeper into it. But what I meant exactly by theorist is that insider person who makes or uses a conceptual apparatus to think about what they do (or what others do). The books about fashion have this sociological, historical bent which is different from architecture books that in my view are mostly formalist, analytical and written by insiders.
