Alessandro Michele’s debut show at Valentino lived up to expectations. Harry Styles , Florence Welch, Elton John and Andrew Garfield were among those who made the trip to the south of Paris to attend the co-ed show, which featured a set resembling a home with furniture covered with white sheets. According to industry insiders, the collection was also a hit.
Michele sent out a refined, romantic and elegant collection of 85 co-ed looks that included beautiful sheer dresses, lace, polka dots, bows , ruffles, and plenty of accessories. “We want to see his take on Valentino , not Gucci 2.0 ,” an industry observer told Vogue Business before the SS25 show.
Many think that he did precisely that. “While Michele’s personal aesthetic shone through very clearly, as expected, the show felt very much like his vision for Valentino with a well-balanced, harmonious blend,” said Richard Johnson, chief commercial and sustainability officer at luxury multi-brand retailer Mytheresa. Michele referred extensively to the house founder, Valentino Garavani, at the press conference that followed.
“We pigeonholed him as someone extremely classic and chic. In truth, he was revolutionary,” Michele told editors. It also felt like a reunion for Michele and Kering .
The designer left Kering star brand Gucci in 2022 after a seven-year run as creative director. Meanwhile, in 2023, Valentino's parent company Mayhoola sold a 30 per cent share in the house to Kering in a deal that will allow Kerin.