Alessandro Michele Is the New Creative Director at Valentino

Alessandro Michele is back. On Thursday, Valentino announced the designer will be its new creative director starting next week in Rome. The appointment follows more than a year of speculation about Michele’s next career move. The designer has been a free agent since he exited Gucci at the end of 2022.

The news comes after Valentino’s longtime creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli stepped down last week. Piccioli spent 25 years with Valentino, the Italian brand known for its signature rockstud accessories, first developed by its namesake founder, as well as a series of bright pink ready-to-wear collections introduced by Piccioli in recent years.

Michele was largely unknown when Kering-owned Gucci appointed him creative director back in 2014, but his maximalist, gender-fluid vision for the Italian luxury house more than doubled the brand’s revenue in less than a decade, establishing him as one of the most influential designers in fashion. Michele’s first collection for Valentino will be presented in September, according to a company press release, and his remit will include designing couture collections.

In 2023, Kering bought a 30 percent stake in Valentino, which has been owned by Mayhoola, a fund connected to the Qatari royal family, since 2012.