Listening to him is a journey into the mind of a creative who views fashion as a form of continuous rebirth, delving into themes like frivolity as a remedy for existence, the power of creativity in the digital era, and his personal view of his role at Valentino in a profound dialogue between aesthetics and human vulnerability.
Alessandro Michele's debut as creative director of the new Roman maison is still fresh, marked by an opulent first show held on September 29 in Paris' 14th arrondissement, titled "Pavillon des follies".
Frivolity as the Essence of Beauty in Fashion
Francesca Ragazzi, Head of Editorial Content for Vogue Italia, kicks off with the first question: “On September 29, during your debut show in Paris for Valentino, you explored the theme of joyful beauty as a remedy for human frailty. Why is frivolity essential for you?”
Alessandro Michele: “Frivolity is an integral part of nature; it’s embedded in everything, and it’s also in Valentino’s archives, that legendary, fairy-tale-like space I visited on my first day of work, where I felt an immediate connection with Mr. Valentino. Despite our very different personalities, there was something we shared. Touching the work he created over the years, I realized that within those creations – his and mine – life was refusing to consider death. Those items in the archive never stopped existing, never ceased communicating. I was completely seduced by their essence, living in a thousand folds and pleats, relics of the past that for others might be dusty, faded, but for me, they were like a religious hymn. My first show was about reviving those pieces, that material from the past, reawakened from the archive, giving them new life – a life that had simply renewed but never ceased.”
The Challenge of Imagination in a Digital World
Francesca Ragazzi: “In an era where we are inundated with images and digital content, how do you keep imagination alive?”
Alessandro Michele: “I come from an era when imagination meant the chance to live other lives, lives that weren’t ours but that we longed for. Today, to shield oneself from information overload, we must continue to listen and observe the world around us. I live in this space with all my senses: beyond sight, I rely heavily on touch. In the past, that imagination for other lives was fueled by stacks of magazines flipped through at lightning speed. I had a tremendous photographic memory, and I could take many images in a very short time. Today, though, young people have technology as a constant companion. I think the important thing is not to let technology dull our senses: writing, drawing, feeling the pen flow across paper”.
Vogue Italia
Valentino: A Choice of Love and Rediscovery
Francesca Ragazzi: “What led you to choose Valentino?”
Alessandro Michele: “Love and the fact that it could be a different kind of challenge from my previous work. Valentino is a unique place, intimate and full of life. It reminded me more of a film than a brand. It’s an almost mythical space, with a history that demands respect. A history that you can’t reject but must care for. Here, I can leave my mark, which will always need to converse with the past, respecting the brand’s heritage and its foundations.”
Dialogue with the Seamstresses: A Return to Creative Adolescence
Francesca Ragazzi: “What’s your relationship like with the seamstresses? Such vital people in a fashion house”.
Alessandro Michele: “The dialogue with them is so beautiful; they tell me so many anecdotes about the founder, to whom they are deeply attached with a sense of belonging and respect. I’m learning that to innovate, you first must listen and have reverence for what came before. I’m fascinated by the tailoring techniques used in this house, and being here, I feel like I’m learning all over again. This experience, this sensation makes me feel like a teenager again, full of curiosity and a desire to discover”.
Creativity and Nature: A Permanent Symbiosis
Francesca Ragazzi: “How do you protect your creativity?”
Alessandro Michele: “Creativity, for me, is almost an ailment; I’m drawn to many things. I live surrounded by animate and inanimate objects, observing them constantly. Even while walking, I’ll notice a building, and its perfect symmetry will catch my eye. Everything around me somehow manages to inspire me, especially nature, which I feel is part of me and with which I feel a sense of kinship”.
The Value of People in the Creative Process
Francesca Ragazzi: “How do you view your relationship with the team?”
Alessandro Michele: “My team is a clan, a family. People are our greatest asset; we are made up of those around us, they’re a treasure beyond measure. I couldn’t be myself without them.”
The Value of Fashion: Intangible, Immaterial, and Ethereal
Alessandro Michele: “Fashion is a fragile territory because it’s intangible, ethereal, elusive. Fashion isn’t oil; you can’t extract it, store it in a tank. You’ve never touched fashion; you don’t even know what shape it has. Those who aim solely for profit, numbers, and sales want only to imprison the fashion, but in doing so, they inevitably destroy it”.
This could be a subtle jab at former Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, with whom Michele’s relationship soured toward at the end of his tenure with the Florentine brand. Michele continues:
“I’m aware that numbers are part of the game, but at Valentino, there’s a beautiful balance with them. I don’t like it when the mechanism becomes dysfunctional. There has to be grace in everything and a sense of limit.”
Conclusion: Be Risk-Takers
With his profound, poetic vision, Alessandro Michele reminds us that fashion is frivolity but also introspection: a complex language that feeds on our humanity, our limits, our human beauty, and our vulnerabilities. In the fast-paced and often volatile fashion industry, Michele urges us to reconnect with our senses, to find room for reflection, and to rediscover the value of people, stories, and the past.
His message to new generations: Be risk-takers, be smart, keep control, but dare in your life to reach where you want.
Irene Libbi
Is a materials researcher. Throughout her corporate career with major luxury brands such as Givenchy, Dolce&Gabbana, and Balenciaga, she developed a sensitivity for fabrics in general and for eco-sustainable alternatives and innovative materials, in which she specializes. This expertise led her to become responsible for fabric research and sustainability at Balenciaga in Florence, working in the leather goods department and acting as a liaison between the paris teams—designers, merchandisers, coordinators—and the office in tuscany. in addition to her work, irene loves writing about fashion. in 2018, this passion led her to partner with the founder of pfr, where Irene became a co-owner and, from 2018 to 2021, curated the writing and publishing of all blog articles and social media content. in 2019, Irene collaborated with eco challenge global and wrote articles for the eco-sustainable community, realizing that her true path and main passion is writing about fashion, runways, and trends, with her ultimate aspiration being to work for a magazine. She decided to focus on herself and her dreams, and in 2023, she earned a master's in fashion editing, photography, and digital media at idi institute in Milan, attending classes with Mariella Milani, Letizia Schatzinger, and Nima Benati. Irene had previously obtained a master’s degree in fashion buying and product management from Polimoda Fashion School in Florence in 2013, after graduating with a degree in business and fashion from La Sapienza in Rome. Besides loving to travel, laugh with friends, and try new restaurants (with a preference for Asian cuisine), Irene is a novice tennis player—perhaps it was Zendaya in Challengers who inspired her.
@irene.libbi