Valentino has named former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele its artistic director, the Roman couture home stated Thursday.
The designer’s first present for the model will happen throughout Paris Trend Week in September.
The announcement solutions one of many largest questions on the lips of style insiders for greater than a 12 months: the place would Michele, one of many trade’s largest names, find yourself after leaving his put up at Gucci?
Ultimately, Michele gained’t be headed to style’s largest group LVMH, as many had speculated, however moderately to Mayhoola for Investments, the style group backed by the Qatari royal household that additionally owns Balmain and Pal Zileri.
Final week, designer Pierpaolo Piccioli exited Valentino after 25 years on the home, together with 8 years its as sole artistic director. The model won’t present menswear or high fashion in June.
Michele spent years working behind-the-scenes in Gucci’s design studio earlier than being chosen for the highest job in 2015. Alongside then CEO Marco Bizzarri, the designer ushered in an period of explosive progress throughout which gross sales roughly tripled earlier than stagnating in the course of the pandemic.
Michele turned recognized for his decadent, more-is-more aesthetic: every thing from hoodies to purses was layered with model signifiers, in addition to flowers, totem animals like snakes and cicadas or astrological motifs. On the runway and pink carpets, the vibe was typically Italy meets Palm Springs: evoking the lives of Previous Hollywood starlets with campy ruffles in addition to retro eyeglass chains and tracksuits.
Keep tuned to BoF for updates on this creating story.
