Another day, another designer departing a fashion house. It's gotten to the point that we kind of expect it. The shock value has been replaced by accepting the fact that the industry is in the middle of a great reshuffling. Some designers are leaving their roles to relocate to another fashion house. Others, like Dries Van Noten, have decided it's time to take a step back. Now comes word that Pierpaolo Piccioli is departing Valentino after 25 years.
We're not really surprised by the news, though. There have been rumors of this split for some time. In fact, there's even speculation that former Gucci head Alessandro Michele is next in line to take over Valentino. Which is kind of hard to envision if only because Piccioli has become synonymous with Valentino. He moved into the house in 1999 alongside fellow alum Maria Grazia Chiuri to build up the label's accessories department. Almost a decade later, both Piccioli and Chiuri were promoted to head designers. Chiuri departed Valentino in 2016 to run Christian Dior.
"Not all stories have a beginning and an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines with an intense light, so strong that it leaves no shadows," explains Piccioli while addressing his departure on his Instagram page. "I have been in this company for 25 years, and for 25 years I have existed and lived together with the people who have woven with me the plots of this beautiful story that is mine and ours. Everything existed and exists because of the people I met, worked with, shared dreams and created beauty with, built something that belongs to everyone, and remains unchanged and tangible. This heritage of love, dreams, beauty and humanity, I carry with me, today and forever. All the emotions that I experienced and still feel stay with me and carry the name of the people who climbed with me on unknown paths that led us to beautiful and now known landscapes. Thanks to Mr. Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti who gave me their dreams. Thank you to every single person who in one way or another made this possible, it has been a privilege and an honor to share my journey, and my dreams, with you."
Regardless of why he's exiting, we're truly going to miss Piccioli. He managed to keep Valentino relevant during his tenure. How? By keeping the signature codes of the brand, which can pretty much be summed up with the phrase grand glamour, but injecting his own personality into the pieces.
Take the now infamous hot pink offering, aka Valentino Fall 2022 ready-to-wear. (Perhaps he's psychic and knew Barbie mania would take over the globe just a few seasons later.) That isn't the only time the designer favored one color. The Fall 2024 ready-to-wear collection is comprised of mostly black clothing. While for Spring 2020 ready-to-wear, Piccioli opted for lots of white. Now in the hands of some creatives crafting looks in one hue made get a tad redundant, but in Piccioli's capable hands, it works. Sometimes the devil really is in the details.
Piccioli also really shines on the haute couture front. There's a reason why there's always at least one Valentino gown on a red carpet. Although it's not just the sparkling gowns that make Valentino's recent haute couture shows so memorable. The relaxed yet still supremely elegant outfits somehow make mastering the oversize trend look effortless. Same goes for how he handled sheer pieces and plunging necklines, which feel infinitely more wearable than similar silhouettes from other brands, even if they're still cost-prohibitive.
We want to say a proper goodbye to Piccioli so we've rounded up our favorite Valentino looks from recent runways. Join us as we relive the designer's best moments across both ready-to-wear and haute couture. It truly is the end of an era.
