reinventing a legacy
++ some reminiscing on fashion's icons
This month officially marks Alessandro Michele’s first working as creative director at Valentino. Thursday, March 28th, less than a week after the announcement of Pierpaolo Piccioli’s departure, it was announced ex-Gucci creative director was set to take the reins of fellow Italian heritage brand. This comes over a year after Michele’s departure from the Gucci and the subsequent takeover of former Valentino designer Sabato de Sarno… a bit like high fashion wife swap, no?
These headlines got me thinking about the shifting of creatives and designers amongst brands and how this is really nothing new to the fashion world. The ability of a brand’s identity to transcend individual creative direction is critical in establishing the longevity required to outlive the popularity of a single designer or era in brand history and create a legacy. I, personally, am extremely excited to see what Michele will bring to Valentino, what elements from the brand’s past will he repurpose in his own way and how it will differ from his stylistic choices on the Gucci runway. Not only is this a new distinct era in Valentino’s history, it is also an opportunity for Michele to continue to establish himself as one of the industry’s groundbreaking creative visionaries of our time.
As I await the merest of glimpses into a Michele-fied Valentino, I’ve been reminiscing back at my favorite creative takeovers…
John Galliano for Dior
Yes, he is controversial; but there is no era in fashion history quite like John Galliano’s time at Dior. Known for femininity and opulence, Galliano’s interpretation of founder Christian Dior’s vision took this to an entirely different level. Combining fantastical elements with items belonging to Dior’s heritage, CR Fashion Book dubbed his time there as never being able to exist again.
Tom Ford for Gucci
Sex sells, and there is no greater example than Tom Ford’s twenty year tenure at Gucci. The era, starting in 1994, was defined by provocative, sleek designs - Ford made much use of cut outs, deep necklines and sheer fabric. Archival Gucci looks by Tom Ford are seen every red carpet season - the iconic thong has appeared in my Instagram feed more than once over the last few years. As I was a toddler during the tail end of this time so my first introduction to Tom Ford was through his namesake brand, my mother had always admired his work and pointed out the items he designed when walking through department stores… maybe she’s been the one behind @tomfordforgucci…
Honorable Mention: Guest Designer Series by Jean Paul Gaultier
Not necessarily a full fledged brand creative takeover, Jean Paul Gaultier presented his ‘final’ collection in 2020 and since has passed the baton to a new designer every season. The initiative has not disappointed, Each designer truly delivers their own vision of the JPG archive. Guest designers have included Olivier Rousteing, Haider Ackerman, and most recently/my personal favorite, Simone Rocha (linked below).
Further reading…
Nothing Is Forever: How Fashion’s Creative Director Exodus Will Shape the Industry - (Vanity Fair, March 2023) discusses changing creative direction, and how the idea of what creative direction itself entails is also changing.