Alessandro Michele, a former Gucci employee, was named Valentino’s artistic director
Alessandro Michele, a flamboyant Italian stylist who departed Gucci in 2022, will become the next creative director of Valentino, the storied Rome-based fashion house revealed on Thursday, according to AFP.
Starting on Tuesday, the 51-year-old designer will take up this role at the 1960s-founded fashion business, replacing Pierpaolo Piccioli, whose abrupt resignation after 25 years at Valentino was revealed this weekend.
Valentino Garavani established the upscale Italian fashion brand Valentino in Rome. It is well-known worldwide and has 211 locations across more than 25 nations.
The luxury conglomerate Kering declared in July 2023 that it had purchased a 30% part in Valentino, with the option to buy all of the Italian design house’s shares by 2028.
After serving as creative director for seven years at Gucci, another company owned by the Kering group, Alessandro Michele departed. During that period, he revolutionized the Florentine brand, but in more recent times, he was unable to bring its revenues back to par with those of its rivals. He took over for Frida Giannini in 2015, having previously spent 12 years working for Gucci.
Alessandro Michele’s appointment as Pierpaolo Piccioli’s successor ushers in a new phase of profound transformation for the Italian fashion sector.
Ten days after taking over as creative director, Adrian Appiolaza, an Argentine, showed his first collection for Moschino in February, following the untimely death of his predecessor, Davide Renne.
In addition, Matteo Tamburini made his debut for Tod’s and Walter Chiapponi made his debut for Blumarine in Milan in February, replacing Nicola Brognano.
Since 2019, Walter Chiapponi has served as Tod’s artistic director, and Matteo Tamburini has been in charge of Bottega Veneta, another upscale Italian brand, overseeing its ready-to-wear collections.
Photo source: REUTERS
