Is Alessandro Michele turning Valentino into Gucci?

The new creative director presented his debut collection for the Roman brand.

This Monday (17) morning, the fashion world was caught by surprise as Alessandro Michele presented his first collection as the new creative director of Valentino. The 171 Cruise 2025 looks disrupted coffees and breakfasts with the question – is he turning Valentino into Gucci?
Despite the common consensus that Pierpaolo Piccioli is an amazing designer who turned Valentino into one of the most desired brands in the world, his minimalism contrasts sharply with Alessandro Michele’s maximalist designs. If we remember Michele’s time at Gucci, it was all about maximalism.
Even though we are accustomed to Valentino by Pierpaolo Piccioli, it is time to look back at Valentino by Valentino Garavani. In the early days, the designs were not so minimal – there were florals, volume, colors, and prints.

It is clear every designer has their own style while adapting it to the brand where they work. So it is unfair to say Alessandro Michele is turning Valentino into Gucci. It is just a change of signature – Alessandro will never be Piccioli, and vice versa. That is the fun of it all.
In the Resort 2025 collection presented today, Valentino’s new creative director drew inspiration from the ‘70s and ‘80s, “an extraordinary moment to investigate, as [Garavani] did not give in to hedonism; he stayed away from the oversized shoulders,” he said to WWD.
About the ’70s, he said that “those are the hippie chic years, and that’s how he dressed, a belt on the polo, exploring his feminine side.”
Michele nodded to the “many ruffles, details, and complex looks [Garavani] designed, even when they were minimal.” This matches Michele’s aesthetic, resulting in a women’s collection with pleats, ruffles, embroideries, tweed, sequins, and bows.
So no, Valentino is not turning into Gucci. Valentino is turning into Valentino designed by Alessandro Michele.