Allessandra Facchinetti

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THE GUCCI WOMAN
ALESSANDRA FACCHINETTI says it was fashion she wanted, not fame, when she dreamt of being a fashion designer as a little girl. Now coping admirably in the position left in the spotlight by Tom Ford's departure from Gucci last April, she's going to have to put up with a bit of both. Her family should hold her in good stead, however. Father Roby Facchinetti is Italy's equivalent of Tom Jones while her brother is a DJ, television star and singer. "He always wanted to be famous," the 32-year-old designer tells Vogue. "Not me - I just loved fashion." Shy she may be, but there is no doubt that this woman was born for the Gucci drawing board. "As soon as I started I felt comfortable," she admits. "I felt the Gucci woman was part of me." Having been taken on as director of womenswear just as Ford added the design of YSL Rive Gauche to his to-do list four years ago, Facchinetti, who previously worked at Miu Miu and Prada, has now taken on the formidable task of making her own mark on the label. "I wanted to find a balance between what Gucci was up to and what it feels right to add now," she goes on. "I wanted to express more femininity - not make the image too rigid and hard, but more confident, relaxed, maybe a little vulnerable." Her first move - to transform the usual black Perspex show invite into an oval olive-gold card - set the scene for a collection that contained a touch of ethnic charm that made it her own while maintaining enough of Ford's raunchy attitude to placate those still mourning him. So what if she is forced to cope with the level of celebrity bestowed upon her predessessor? "Of course, I will do what I have to do," she smiles.

 

[nycgirl84]

Wow, she has done a lot for her age.

 

[ponytrot]

i thought i might revive this old thread in light of the recent news surrounding Ms Facchinetti and her departure from Valentino.

Perhaps we can discuss her work, and news of career prospects here?

 

[ponytrot]

some photos of Allessandra herself.

style.com

 

[ponytrot]

here is the review for her last collection for Valentino; i very much agree with Sarah Mower in that Alessandra was beginning to develop a way of updating Valentino...

there is definately a sense of "what could have been" hanging in the air...

PARIS, October 3, 2008

By Sarah Mower

A few days ago, a Valentino executive was quoted in the Italian press as saying it would be "inelegant" to comment on the rumor that Alessandra Facchinetti is on her way out. Never a truer word has been spoken, especially as the announcement that she had been handpicked (by the current owners, from a large field) to succeed the retiring Maestro was released on September 5, 2007. That is, not even 13 months before Facchinetti had to put her third collection for the house on the Paris runway. Yet another case, then, of the increasing speed of the revolving-door syndrome that is luring in and spitting out so many tender young talents at old, established brands under new ownership.

So watching Facchinetti's show was a weird experience for those who had been tracking signs of her sensitivity to aspects of the house canon—in particular, her gentle touch with chiffon and ruffles, modernized by a refined taste for no-color colors. It was always going to take time to do a good renovation job on Valentino's daywear—frozen as it is in the time of the ladies who lunched—and, sure enough, Facchinetti's answers weren't quite there yet. For Spring, they came in the form of soft, drapey silk polka-dot dresses, and shorts suits with raised, coiled, jeweled embroidery settled in necklines or as epaulets. The embellishment was over-heavy, but you could see what the designer was getting at in the way of softening and relaxing a look that formerly only sat well with an over-lacquered hairdo. Certainly, much more needs to be done to resolve that issue in this house, and Facchinetti's device of a curved-up, sporty side slit (the sort you see on running shorts) didn't help matters much.

Still, to give her credit where it's due, Facchinetti's subtle, pale lemon and violet nudes later on did evoke the elusive quality of femininity that is expected of this label. And when it came to the big test—the red draped georgette evening dress—hers was unarguably lovely: a one-shouldered affair, made to look modern with the addition of flat jeweled slippers. The collection might have benefited from a follow-through on the fuzzily frothy blouses that could have been spot-on as a great selling item for Spring. In the end, though, a poignant sense of might-have-been hung in the air as Facchinetti took her bow. Whatever transpires next, the task of continuing this brand's integrity is surely not going to get any easier.

 

[Salvatore]

She's so gorgeous!

 

[aaliyah]

i love her
she's better than Frida Giannini

 

[tctra]

once upon a time, all these fashion houses were family owned. Now they're all owned by conglomerates churning out designers like a garbage disposal cos the bucks rolling in weren't instant. There's no integrity anymore. Personally, i reckon a successor should be chosen and groomed by its predecessor, not selected by a bunch of board directors after the designer's retirement.

I know the bottom line of a business is to make profit, but it appears to be at all costs

 

[HighMaintenance]

She's a pretty! And she's done a lot of work. Two thumbs up!

 

[TraiT]

YES! I've always thought she looks gorgeous GORGEOUS! Her piercing blue eyes!

Back to the drama, i still quite upset by the new

 

[kasper!]

i guess the title should be "Alessandra Facchinetti:Life After Valentino"...

poor her..i just read that she didn't hear about it until she saw it in the press..i just hope she can find a better boss next time..good luck,alessandra

 

[Miss Dalloway]

I think it was in true poor taste how she was let go, she deserved, as would any other human being,to be informed personally of the decision about her replacement.And then they have the nerve to say it would be "inelegant" to comment about it when they didnt even bother telling her?!

But she has shown that she has true talent and i wish her luck.

 

[Spike413]

I would assume that she'd actually be somewhat of a commodity as a design/creative director. She seems to be good at adapting her tastes and style to an established house. I mean, to be able to do good work at two such different houses as Gucci and Valentino....

That can't be easy.

 

[mdankwah]

I wouldn't like to be in her poition right now but after Gucci and Valentino, Im sure she will cope abley in whatever direction she decides to take next.

 

[212DRESSINGROOM]

Loved her at Valentino. Would like to see her revive Jean Desses

 

[Acid]

i wonder if she feels like she keeps getting tossed around?

 

[fashionista-ta]

I would assume that she'd actually be somewhat of a commodity as a design/creative director. She seems to be good at adapting her tastes and style to an established house. I mean, to be able to do good work at two such different houses as Gucci and Valentino....

That can't be easy.

Agreed ... she has really shown her range. I'm not a Gucci person in any sense , but her latest work spoke to me. Can't wait to see her working again ... she needs a house like Lanvin.

 

[kinkexplosion]

I really like her...

 

[dior_couture1245]

Tonight, during my figure drawing class, I was listening to the Valentino RTW FW 08/ HC FW 08 soundtracks, and my heart was wrenched! In a way, listening to those tracks, at that specific moment, the sad realisation finally truly hit me.

When I think about her not doing couture anymore...my heart just sinks. The idea of a young, confident woman doing couture was extremely refreshing, and her desings were stunning, full of breathtaking craftsmanship and so elegant (and the fact that only one dress was bought from the collection by couture clients, and nothing else simply because Valentino did not design the collection makes me absolutely furious).

And the fact that she might never do couture again makes me SO SAD.

God, I hope she gets a new, high profile job ASAP....preferably with couture involved!

 

[Salvatore]

Tonight, during my figure drawing class, I was listening to the Valentino RTW FW 08/ HC FW 08 soundtracks, and my heart was wrenched! In a way, listening to those tracks, at that specific moment, the sad realisation finally truly hit me.

When I think about her not doing couture anymore...my heart just sinks. The idea of a young, confident woman doing couture was extremely refreshing, and her desings were stunning, full of breathtaking craftsmanship and so elegant (and the fact that only one dress was bought from the collection by couture clients, and nothing else simply because Valentino did not design the collection makes me absolutely furious).

And the fact that she might never do couture again makes me SO SAD.

God, I hope she gets a new, high profile job ASAP....preferably with couture involved!

Yes, I was so excited for her to do haute couture as I just knew it could be nothing other than gorgeous! Haute Couture is definitely her realm!!!