Alessandro Michele - Designer, Creative Director of Valentino

[gallianostan]

 

[lookatme]

I'm open to it. As some have said here, Alessandro is one of the very, very few designers here with a world-building, idiosyncratic eye.

He is his own mind and style. He isn't Phoebe-Celine lite or Demna wannabe either. Those are the two camps most other designers fall into these days.

I know he's polarizing, but I liked his Gucci - I liked how all-encompassing it was...the stores, the campaigns, the shows, the celebrities...it all was identifiable and complete.

I just hope he pushed himself to tap into something a little different for Valentino and isn't as flea-markety as he was at Gucci. That worked or Gucci, in my opinion, because you kind of find old Gucci bags and luggage at flea markets. Valentino is not that.

 

[Nimsay]

Im expecting Italian Renaissance to be frank. Jewel-toned capes with tiers of italianate lace…. Its going to look baroque. Meaning lots of jutting pieces stretching away from the body.

I think that his Gucci needed more editing. I didnt totally hate the Italian Grandmas Mansion in Abruzzo energy. We need to move to Grandaughter in an apartment in Rome though …

 

[brandon J pierre]

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the system is working as intended

Oh boi I like that he's able to talk and say what he wants he's also very much right but also that's is the industry 🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

[jeanclaude]

Let´s face it: his Valentino would look like Gucci (but with a different logo). He is not more capable than that...

Also, Valentino pugs be like:

www.instagram.com/miss.picklesthepug

 

[brandon J pierre]

Im expecting Italian Renaissance to be frank. Jewel-toned capes with tiers of italianate lace…. Its going to look baroque. Meaning lots of jutting pieces stretching away from the body.

I think that his Gucci needed more editing. I didnt totally hate the Italian Grandmas Mansion in Abruzzo energy. We need to move to Grandaughter in an apartment in Rome though …

Me to I think it's going to be great he has a very good grasp on history just look at his house it's a Renaissance house full of inspiration I think it's going to do a hell of a job or it can be terribly bad

 

[brandon J pierre]

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Be nice 🥴😂

 

[LadyJunon]

My personal opinion on Michele's Valentino is that it could go very right or very wrong. Being a maximalist and a romantic, Michele is somewhat of a unique voice in the industry, which will allow Valentino to stand out in a sea of "quiet luxury".

I imagine that his Couture will serve as a format for storytelling, considering his approach to eveningwear and red-carpet dressing at Gucci. While the Couture meduim would allow for such, it wouldn't be smart for him to completely discard wearability at Valentino, which retained a element of reality under the opulence.

Ready-to-wear will proably be more shakey for him, since that will be where editing will take more importance. While I feel that his women's collections will be solid, his men's collections might be a bit rocky. While his gender-fluid approach to menswear was his claim-to-fame at Gucci, it became his weakest link towards the end of his tenure. While Valentino's menswear is in need of a revamp, he'll definitely need to embrace a more tradition approach there.

Accessories will probably be Michele's strongest link at Valentino. Valentino's accessories definitely need a revamp. They haven't released an iconic design since the Rockstud line, which was first launched in 2010, and PPP isn't the strongest accessories designer. I imagine that Michele's repeated success with accessories at Gucci played a heavy role in his appointement.

Overall, I think that the whimsy, maximalism and opulence will work well at Valentino. He's a master storyteller and great product designer. That said, he'll definitely need to reinvent his vision through the lens of Valentino, a house that has a very strong identity and rich history in the realm of fashion. He'll also need to learn how to edit and round out his vision with more "normal" products in order to avoid brand fatigue and brand alienation.

 

[LadyJunon]

Michele is said to be quickly revolutionizing the Valentino team as sources on Thursday said he was creating new communication and style teams, planning to let go of several staff members close to Piccioli.

Source: WWD

This line has me feeling a bit bad for PPP's team and considering the general apathy towards Sabato's Gucci, I don't feel very hopeful for most of them. I imagine that the Couture atelier will stay mostly intact, though.

 

[Kanzai]

View attachment 1255511
the system is working as intended

I couldn't careless about Rucci when the Greats like Lacroix, Lang, Gaultier,... are still there and they don't even give any sh*t.

He's so childish

 

[susseinmcswanny]

He really is kinda. He posts a lot of bitchy stuff and deletes it lol but it’s funny 😂

 

[Kanzai]

Ralph Rucci would be a perfect TFS-er

 

[Lola701]

Source: WWD

This line has me feeling a bit bad for PPP's team and considering the general apathy towards Sabato's Gucci, I don't feel very hopeful for most of them. I imagine that the Couture atelier will stay mostly intact, though.

I’ve seen that Benjamin Cercio is leaving Gucci so I guess he will join Valentino. It’s only logical for Michele to be around people he knows and used to work with for the development of his project at the house. He has 6 months to really establish his mission for the house and start to create products and strategy regarding communication and stuff.

Ancora will probably inherit from part of Valentino’s staff, as long as they are willing to move to Milan.
We don’t know what’s going on at Fendi. Otherwise, I would have suspected for some people to join the team there.

I’m only interested in what Yvan Mispelaere next move will be. While I wasn’t impressed by his work at DVF and Cavalli, he has proved to be a force to PPP.

 

[PDFSD]

I’ve seen that Benjamin Cercio is leaving Gucci so I guess he will join Valentino. It’s only logical for Michele to be around people he knows and used to work with for the development of his project at the house. He has 6 months to really establish his mission for the house and start to create products and strategy regarding communication and stuff.

Ancora will probably inherit from part of Valentino’s staff, as long as they are willing to move to Milan.
We don’t know what’s going on at Fendi. Otherwise, I would have suspected for some people to join the team there.

I’m only interested in what Yvan Mispelaere next move will be. While I wasn’t impressed by his work at DVF and Cavalli, he has proved to be a force to PPP.

I doubt highly that Benjamin Cercio will be asked to join at Valentino : 1# he has been at gucci only the final year of Michele tenure at Gucci (he joined only from november 2022) ,2# similar to his time at LV he is not known for any big accomplishments in communications nor achieving a successful Gucci communications turn around pre & post Ancora.
I don't see him as any indication of a master mind contribution like the likes of a Venturini etc someone with a reputation combined with achievements in the industry.

 

[tatouejeremie]

I’m only interested in what Yvan Mispelaere next move will be. While I wasn’t impressed by his work at DVF and Cavalli, he has proved to be a force to PPP.

i loved what he did at feraud back in the day but everyone seems to have forgotten that ever happened

 

[tourbillions]

why i feel like his tenure will be like tiscis at burberry. too soon to differentiate his works at gucci and will be a few good collection but never really gettign the hype the brand wants.

 

[Lola701]

why i feel like his tenure will be like tiscis at burberry. too soon to differentiate his works at gucci and will be a few good collection but never really gettign the hype the brand wants.

The saving grace for him would be to work with a stylist.
Because essentially, his work, when devoid of theatrics, can fit the Valentino aesthetic.
He is good at chiffon dresses and the whole thing. His added value will be his tailoring and his interest in history/costume design.

With a different cast and a more edited vision, his work can look fresh again.

The problem is that we have seen Hedi Slimane. We all know how influential Hedi is and the fact that he has imposed his vision to every house he went to may have an influence on some designers.

 

[LadyJunon]

The saving grace for him would be to work with a stylist.
Because essentially, his work, when devoid of theatrics, can fit the Valentino aesthetic.
He is good at chiffon dresses and the whole thing. His added value will be his tailoring and his interest in history/costume design.

With a different cast and a more edited vision, his work can look fresh again.

The problem is that we have seen Hedi Slimane. We all know how influential Hedi is and the fact that he has imposed his vision to every house he went to may have an influence on some designers.

Stripped of the runway and styling theatrics, Piccioli's earlier solo work was quite similar to Michele's work: the lace and chiffon dresses, the trapezoid coats, the relaxed tailoring, the general "60s mod meets 70s bohemian" look. I think that the core difference is that Michele's interpretation came from a more personal place, while PPP's version was the result of a gradual shift away from MGC's aesthetics.

I agree that his work will need new eyes to differentiate itself from Gucci. A different approach to styling, casting and staging will definitely make his work look new again. A different photographer and art director for campaigns would definitely help too.

It wouldn't be smart for him to pull a "Hedi", because Hedi is very specific case. While a good chunk of the success of Dior Homme relied on consistently good industry reception, the strategy of Saint Laurent is more geared towards an end consumer. Celine takes it even further with the complete elimination of industry-first events, such as runway shows, wholesale accounts, magazine editorials, red carpet, etc. I don't think Michele would be ready for such a risk.

 

[CholoChic]

It will be glad the work of a artist

 

[reesewu]

why i feel like his tenure will be like tiscis at burberry. too soon to differentiate his works at gucci and will be a few good collection but never really gettign the hype the brand wants.

I can see this as well, although one can argue that Tisci and Burberry were never a good match in the first place. Michele, on the other hand, does share some design principles with what Piccioli has paved over the course of his tenure at Valentino, including the years he had with MGC.