Man, I’d been hearing the rumbles, you know? Like pretty much everyone who follows this stuff. Alessandro Michele, the fella who was at Gucci for ages, taking over at Valentino. Big news, that was. So, yeah, I was properly keen to see what he was gonna bring to the table for his first shot.
Gearing Up and The “Hunt”
So, in the days leading up to the actual reveal, I was doing my usual routine when something big is about to drop. It’s a bit of a ritual, I suppose.
- I was constantly refreshing all those fashion news websites, you know the ones. Just hitting that F5 key like a madman.
- I was digging around, trying to spot any little leaks, any tiny blurry photo, or even just solid rumors about the direction he might take. People always talk, and sometimes you catch a whisper.
- Spent a fair bit of time just chatting with a few friends who are into this as well, throwing around ideas, guessing what the vibe would be. “Reckon he’ll go full maximalist?” “Or will he tone it down for the Valentino name?” That sort of thing.
Honestly, it felt like waiting for a massive game or a season premiere of your favorite show. The anticipation was definitely there.
Watching It Unfold – The First Look
Then the day finally arrived. I got myself settled, screen fired up, ready to soak it all in. And then, well, the presentation started. These digital shows are still a bit weird to me, but that’s how it is.
And then the clothes started appearing. My immediate thought was something like, ‘Alright, let’s see this then.’ You could spot his hand in it, for sure. Little flashes, certain ways things were put together that felt familiar from his past work. But it wasn’t just a straight repeat, not at all.
A few things jumped out at me right away:
- The colors. There were some really interesting choices there, some quite bold, others more subtle but used in a striking way.
- The silhouettes. Some of that flowy, romantic stuff, but maybe with a bit of a different edge.
- And just the overall feeling of it… it was distinctly Michele, but you could also feel it was trying to speak the Valentino language, if that makes sense. A new dialect, maybe.
It was a lot to process in one go, watching it on a screen. You’re trying to see the fabrics, the cut, the tiny details, all while the next look is already coming up.
So, What Did I Really Think After It All?
After the last model had walked and the screen went dark, I just sort of sat there for a minute. My head was buzzing. This wasn’t just another fashion show, was it? This felt like a marker, a definite beginning of something new.
I started mulling over what this really means for a house like Valentino. They’ve got such a legacy, so much history and iconic style. And then you’ve got Michele, who’s got such a powerful, almost overwhelming aesthetic of his own. It’s like watching two very strong currents meet. You wonder how they’ll merge, or if one will overpower the other.
It wasn’t a case of instantly loving it or hating it. It was more… intriguing. Some outfits I immediately got, thought, ‘Yeah, that’s clever.’ Others had me scratching my head a bit, thinking, ‘I need to see that again, or see it in a different context.’ But that’s good, right? Fashion should make you think, make you discuss. If it’s just ‘nice,’ then what’s the point?
Where I’m At With It Now
To be honest, I’m still letting it all sink in. It’s one of those collections you don’t just glance at and move on from. I’ve actually gone back and looked through the images a few times since, just to see if I pick up on different things.
For me, the most significant part was just witnessing that initial step. Whenever a new creative director takes over a major fashion house, there’s always that big question mark. Will they play it safe? Will they tear everything up and start again? Or will they find some new path in between?
It certainly wasn’t dull, I can tell you that much. It got me watching, got me thinking. And I guess, at the end of the day, that’s a big part of what these major fashion moments are supposed to do. Get people engaged. So, from that perspective, job done. Now, we just have to sit tight and see what he does next. That’ll be the real test.
