Alessandro Michele debuts Valentino Couture full of historical clues
7 mins read

Alessandro Michele debuts Valentino Couture full of historical clues

Many people imagine creative genius to involve a chaotic composition of ideas, but even artistic types need some structure. Mankind has tried to know and organize their tasks, ideas, achievements and even the banal household to do note with lists ad infinitum. As he approaches his first Haute Couture collection, “Vertigineaux” for Maison Valentinoor any label, Alessandro Michele Looked at Umberto ECO’s book 2009 “The Infinity of Lists” as a lighthouse. Tome not only helped to draw a certain order in the important task of creating 48 unique couture ensembles but also acknowledged the dizzying technical characteristics of creating Haute Couture, which the designer said it sometimes felt impossible.

“Clothes are endless lists of technical knowledge. Vertigo on the list (if the dresses) is not limited,” he said, talking to journalists after the show.

The collection presented was theater costume inspired. Some criticized this, but given the imagination linked to Haute Couture, another point of view suggests that Michele understood the assignment.

A sense of prevention and drama set the scene for unclean At Palais Brongniart, mainly because of the deep fog -horned heavy soundtrack. The shortened course, dressed in blue stage curtains, and the deafening steep rows of seating that reached almost two floors high reminiscent of a theater.

“In my opinion, dresses need a Mise a scene; they have no life on their own sitting in a wardrobe. They have to live up, so the idea of ​​one theater is as important as the clothes; one is the ancestors of the other,” Michele continued after The show. The designer spoke in Italian in sitting press format, complete with headphones in museum style for English and French speakers, control journalists through their process and psyche.

Michele broke down the elements in each appearance, mainly dresses, on a digital screen with a red LED light ticker tape that flashed words behind each appearance accompanied by its appearance that appeared behind each model in white light when they stopped and met the audience. The effect was a literal awareness stream that ended in a staggering pulsating barrier of white light. These effects were the reason to warn guests like Elton John and David Furnish, Colman DomingoNick Cave and wife Susie, Carla Bruni and Bethann Hardison among others, who warned of any predispositions for the light of the stroke, sensitivity to flashing light, sound, etc. before entering the show space.

The theatrical aspect was also drawn to the countless by historical eras referred to in the styles. It was Michele’s version of a fashion -time traveler, similar to the Sally Potter movie 1993 “Orlando” with Tilda Swinton, as it seemed to cover at least 400 years of clothing history. And yes, Orlando and Tilda were among the words shown. The categories of words included technical aspects and materials in Haute Couture, historical figures and eras, art movements, aspects of Italian and French culture, Hollywood and more. Specific words were as varied as Hippy, Baudelaire, 17Th Century, Uffizzi Gallery, Barry Lyndon, Summer of Love, occult, drug, courtesan and eccentricity.

The main message in the clothing was Michele’s modernization of panic and skirts in Petticoat style, as well as some nods to the Valentino archives. (One wonders about the previous criticism of Michele’s debut for Valentino Ready-to-Wear, which is similar to his style more than Maison Valentino played a role there.)

Michele reproduced the trip to make every dress that resulted from working with studio, its own power.

“The seamstarts are like Saga Elver who sculpts the piece for weeks, it brings to life as one day it stands up. It is a happy shared effort. For me, Haute Couture is like a gym where you learn and exercise, discover fabrics and techniques for the first time. Couture requires patience. “According to Michele, it also requires the use of more mature models.”

The designer became terrible of the process, which involved getting Atelier’s confidence and inheritance. “I wasn’t even sure I could move the clothes. They ran from me, and I could no longer control them,” he said, leaving, “what is not visible is even more beautiful than what is visible.”

Michele drew on her childhood memories and Valentino Gravani’s inspiration, including his most famous heritage, the red dress. “Looking at Valentino in the 1980s makes me think he was inspired by a Goya painting of a cardinal or his passion for ancient paintings. He liked aristocracy and Jet set“He said while describing the red tulle dress looks 20 in the show.

“I will never be him, but it’s nice to look at his work. Valentino made Paris and Rome love,” he continued, noting his love for volume. But he also remembers that he saw cardinals go rum streets in red dresses.

As a child, Michele reminded him that he wanted to become a historical costume designer. The first look referred to Venetian Harlequins, first popularized by Zanni. “I had fun and I’m passionate about this. I thought of Venice under a ball,” he said about the design process, noting that the body alone took months to complete.

In his condition for excitement and fatigue, it was clear that the Haute Couture process was transformative for Michele, as dizzy and scams as the collection’s name suggests.

“All this (couture) opportunity is related to Vertigo. You are afraid of losing yourself; you don’t want to end, but it’s time to quit,” he assumed. But since he presents a new one to be dressed in about 5 or 6 weeks, he has no choice but to consider Haute Couture in the summer of 2025 a completed masterpiece.