Alessandro Michele to Succeed Pierpaolo Piccioli as Valentino Creative Director

Pierpaolo Piccioli is out at Valentino, and Alessandro Michele is in.

The fashion house confirmed earlier in the week that the 56-year-old creative director of the brand exited this week after 25 years with the company.

His last fall 2024 collection was shown during Paris Fashion Week. Valentino said it would not participate in menswear and couture week showings in June amid the news of the transition.

Pierpaolo was named sole creative director of Valentino in July 2016, following the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri to join Dior.

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Alessandro Michele left his creative director role at Gucci in November 2022.

He starts the Valentino gig next week, according to an internal statement, via WWD. His first collection for Valentino will be for Spring 2025.

He joined the Gucci design studio in 2002 after serving as senior accessories designer at Fendi. He was appointed “associate” to then-creative director Frida Giannini in 2011, and in 2014 took on the role of creative director of Richard Ginori, the porcelain brand acquired by Gucci in 2013. He was officially made creative director of Gucci in January 2015.

See the full statement from Pierpaolo Piccioli following his departure.