In a significant announcement, Maison Valentino revealed the appointment of Alessandro Michele as Creative Director, effective April 2nd, 2024.
The esteemed designer will spearhead creative endeavors from the heart of Rome, the city where Valentino was founded in 1960.
Alessandro Michele’s arrival marks a pivotal moment for Maison Valentino, as expressed by Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Chairman of Valentino, who emphasized Michele’s exceptional talent and the brand’s great ambitions. With Michele’s unique perspective and wealth of experience, the maison anticipates a fresh journey in continuing to illuminate the brand’s unique heritage and couture codes.
This transition comes after a remarkable twelve-year journey led by Pierpaolo Piccioli, who played a pivotal role in elevating Maison Valentino to a world-class couture house. Piccioli’s dedication to preserving the brand’s heritage and creativity, rooted in the legacy of Mr. Valentino Garavani, resulted in significant growth and garnered the loyalty of clients worldwide.
Reflecting on the past years, Jacopo Venturini, CEO of Valentino, expressed excitement in working with Michele again, highlighting his profound intelligence and creative prowess. Venturini lauded Michele’s ability to infuse moments of great emotion and desire into Maison Valentino’s offerings, foreseeing a captivating reinterpretation of the maison’s couture codes.
For Michele, the opportunity to lead Maison Valentino represents an immense honor and responsibility. He acknowledges the brand’s rich cultural and symbolic heritage, attributing his inspiration to the visionary contributions of Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti.
“It’s an incredible honourfor me to be welcomed at Maison Valentino. I feel the immense joy and the huge responsibility to join a Maison de Couture that has the word ‘beauty’ carved on a collective story, made of distinctive elegance, refinement and extreme grace.
My first thought goes to this story: to the richness of its cultural and symbolic heritage, to the sense of wonder it constantly generates, to the very precious identity given with their wildest love by founding fathers, Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti. These references always represented an essential source of inspiration for me, and I’m going to praise such influence through my own interpretation and creative vision.”
Looking ahead, the fashion world eagerly anticipates Alessandro Michele’s debut collection for Maison Valentino, set to be unveiled during Paris Fashion Week – S/S 2025. As Michele prepares to embark on this creative journey, Maison Valentino stands poised at the brink of a new era, where tradition meets innovation, and beauty finds new expression under his visionary leadership.
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