Alessandro Michele has unexpectedly released Valentino’s Resort 2025 collection, his first for the fashion house after being named creative director back in March.
Michele left his previous role at Gucci in November 2022 and was tapped by Valentino to infuse new life into its offerings after Pierpaolo Piccioli stepped down following his 25-year run. In an interesting twist, Michele’s first Valentino collection happens to arrive on the same day that Sabato De Sarno is expected to unveil his own Gucci SS25 collection.
The vast 171-look offering stays true to Michele’s signature maximalist, eccentric style with his clear influence transforming the Valentino look. The previous Fall 2024 collection was sleek and monochromatic in the style that came to shape the Valentino brand in recent years under Piccioli. This drastic style shift marks a new era for the house, potentially an indicator of Valentino wanting to dip its toes into the Gucci customer base.
With clear ‘60s and ’70s influences, this collection is filled with vintage glamor as no embellishments, frills or accessories are spared. Large coats with fur trim, patterned suits, tiered skirts, formal sets and an abundance of pearls converge to form an ornate vision of the Valentino customer.
Bohemian style takes over as eclectic prints, patterns and layering bring a worldly edge and transform classic styles to make them fresh and fun. A few commercial-oriented pieces – like logo tees or handbags – trickle into this collection but remain sleek with a subtle adornment of the brand logo.
Take a closer look at Valentino’s SS25 collection in the gallery above, and stay tuned for more Milan Fashion Week content on Hypebeast.
