Alessandro Michele’s debut at the helm of Valentino Haute Couture was nothing short of spectacular. The Spring/Summer 2025 collection, titled Vertigineux, shattered every convention of Parisian Haute Couture with a powerful, conceptual, and contrast-laden show.
In the enveloping darkness of the Pavillon Vendôme, a horizontal runway broke tradition as models walked past a massive digital screen. On display, hypnotic sequences of keywords narrated Michele’s creative journey: references to Valentino’s archives, exquisite fabrics, sartorial details, and the decorative elements of the collection. This visual and conceptual contrast clashed with the rigorous yet theatrical silhouettes of the garments, evoking the grand tradition of Haute Couture but through a distorted, contemporary lens.
The soundtrack heightened the surreal impact of the show: female choirs blended with ultra-modern samples, alternating with sacred and distorted sounds, creating an atmosphere suspended between the ancient and the hyper-technological. Michele masterfully hybridized styles, merging baroque inspirations with digital avant-garde aesthetics.
Michele’s collection for Valentino reaffirmed his unmistakable aesthetic language, built on cultural layering, historical references, and bold material contrasts. Valentino’s signature red, deep purple, and emerald green intertwined with extraordinary tailoring techniques, striking a perfect balance between decadence and innovation.
The silhouettes were dramatic and powerful: monumental skirts attached to structured bodices, ruffles and feathers framing sculpted figures, embroideries reminiscent of Renaissance tapestries. Even the knitting technique was innovative, transforming seemingly simple weaves into imposing textile architectures, with intertwined meshes enveloping evening gowns, challenging the traditional codes of Couture.
Models over 60 walked the runway, defying the conventional standards of Haute Couture beauty, delivering a clear message: beauty has no fixed standards, just as luxury should not be confined to outdated definitions.
The show’s finale was a visual shock: the runway dissolved into darkness, with a glitch effect of fragmented pixels interrupting the vision. The audience found themselves seeing yet not seeing, as intermittent flashes illuminated the final looks without fully revealing them. Alessandro Michele’s entrance for the traditional bow unfolded amid disturbing flashes and flickering lights, as if the designer himself wanted to dissolve into his own imagination.
With Vertigineux, Alessandro Michele has rewritten the rules of Haute Couture. He abandoned the romantic poetry of Parisian tailoring in favor of a more fragmented, dissonant, yet extraordinarily impactful narrative. His vision is not merely a celebration of Valentino’s archives but a radical exploration of Couture’s potential in the 21st century. An iconoclastic move that disrupted the linear and often predictable flow of Haute Couture, marking a turning point in the Paris Fashion Week landscape.
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