The air of change in the world of luxury fashion continues to blow strongly. It’s almost like seeing that famous scene from “Mary Poppins”, where the aspiring nannies are “carried away” by a gust of wind caused by Mary Poppins, come to life: creative pillars considered indestructible collapse from one day to the next, leaving fashion insighters in the sector speechless.
For me, it all started with the news that Alessandro Michele had left Gucci while, more recently, my little heart broke because Pierpaolo Piccioli left Valentino after 25 years: shocking and unexpected exits that made my few certainties fall when it comes to matches between creative directors and luxury fashion brands.
Yet, the motivations behind choices of this type are the most varied and no one is required to maintain “faith” towards a certain position, no matter how prestigious this is. Even the most beautiful and successful weddings come to an end, and the fashion world spares no one: either because a creative intends to work on his brand (see Phoebe Philo), or because he takes a break or, even more frequently (unfortunately) for sales reasons that do not reflect the company’s forecasts, nothing is forever.
As much as each of us has his preferences on this subject and is more or less satisfied with certain choices, fashion goes on and is always greedy for novelty and innovation, elements that a creative director must be able to bring to a brand to balance that delicate balance between market demands, collective desire for amazement or beauty, individual vision, search for the avant-garde and respect for the past. It’s not easy at all, but several examples in recent years have shown that it’s possible, reminding us of the incredible power over the imagination, culture, and society that fashion holds globally.
Inspired by the latest announcements, I found myself wondering: “Fashion-wise, who are the creative directors I would like to see at the helm of certain brands?”. From this question and personal reflection, the following article was born. One match has already happened, others… Well, who knows where the fashion wind will take certain creatives in the future?
Warnings before reading on:
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It is a personal reflection, based on my tastes, passions, and desires
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Only names with a certain amount of experience are taken into consideration for equally famous fashion houses, those that are probably also the most shared in the collective imagination
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The fact remains that there are many emerging and talented designers and they deserve a chance to test themselves at the helm of luxury brands. Letting yourself be surprised by lesser-known names is therefore always one of the most hopeful and beautiful scenarios!
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P.S. Kate and Laura Mulleavy + Simon Jacquemus, you’ll never leave Rodarte and Jacquemus respectively, will you?
ALESSANDRO MICHELE AT VALENTINO
Let’s say the most important news, the most speculated, and the one that was mostly expected to be confirmed: Alessandro Michele is the new creative director of Valentino. After an incredible career at Gucci (where he was able to mix the canons of the brand with a dreamlike, avant-garde, and profound vision) and an equally long departure from the creative reins of the same in 2022, Alessandro Michele is back. I, the child of her work at Gucci and in mourning since 2022, was reborn when I read the news: a brilliant and unpredictable talent meets a brand with a legendary history, with aesthetic canons that have formed our idea of current refined fashion (thanks also to the extraordinary work of Pierpaolo Piccioli in recent years). Aware of his personality, his debut collection in September is already considered by everyone to be the most anticipated show of 2024. It is an intriguing challenge to adopt Valentino’s guidelines which, we are sure, will be able to give us a new shade of mirabilia.
PIERPAOLO PICCIOLI AT CHANEL
What PP did at Valentino will remain in the fashion history books. An absolute respect for the canons of the brand, a great ability to adapt them to the time and the new generations, an eye always on cultural references, a wise use of materials and inspirations, and a positive and enthusiastic personal approach that has almost completely merged his soul with that of the brand. I say almost because, after 25 years within the company, this fairy tale has come to its conclusion: leaving behind a legacy of pure beauty, Pierpaolo Piccioli’s future is (at least to the public) unknown. But there is one match that I would like to see realized: the one with Chanel. I apologize to Virginie Viard, who took the reins of the house after the death of Karl Lagerfeld, in saying that her impact at the reins of Chanel is not proving to be exciting. Certainly, the choice to carry on the aesthetics of the predecessor is a certainty in terms of sales, but for some time now every collection has been “already seen”. A new vision could be optimal to refresh and renew the brand’s image: and, let’s face it, there is no candidate better than Pierpaolo to take the reins of this revolution!
SARAH BURTON AT DIOR
When I saw Kate Middleton walk down the aisle of Westminster Abbey for her wedding to Prince William in 2011 in THAT wedding dress, a new Roman Empire formed in my mind and heart. After the tragic and untimely death of Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton has managed to keep the brand current, irreverent, and sensual, reworking the elements that made her mentor famous innovatively and consciously. In 2023, after 13 years at the creative helm of the brand, Sarah was replaced by Seán McGirr. An extraordinarily talented designer who would be, in my opinion, a worthy match with Dior, currently led by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Which again, no offense, has lost the spark of its first collections for the brand. Sarah could, on the contrary, add new nuances and interpretations to such a significant fashion house in the global fashion scene, demonstrating here too a great respect for the guidelines and her predecessors just as McQueen did. A recipe that can work once again, to my absolute happiness!
CLARE WAIGHT KELLER AT LOUIS VUITTON
Clare Waight Keller, in her 6 years at the creative helm of Chloé, has brought to the fashion world a new concept of femininity, romanticism, and character that is impossible not to think back to with nostalgia. Proving her worth also at Givenchy (the first woman to hold the position of creative director of the brand moreover) between 2017 and 2020, with a different approach compared to her previous assignment that confirmed her versatility and talent here, today Clare could be the perfect match with a certain brand to underline once again her skill: I’m talking about Louis Vuitton. As much as Nicolas Ghesquière has built a solid creative path at the helm of the brand, I think that a woman like Clare would bring Louis Vuitton even more to the center of attention: how? I don’t know, and that’s what excites me. The thrill of a new Louis Vuitton image and a new aspirational style is stronger than the certainty that a rational answer could give in this case. Needless to hide it anyway, I would love to see her come out again at the end of a fashion show to get the well-deserved applause of those present and the whole world.
AMINA MUADDI AT BLUMARINE
The designer of the most desired and trendy shoes of recent years, Amina Muaddi has a conscious entrepreneurial approach, between market demands and strong inspirations, with a recognizable message and aesthetics that have made her one of the most interesting contemporary talents. With a success that doesn’t seem to know the sunset, could it be a good time to broaden her horizons and become the creative designer of a fashion brand as well? Like Bluemarine for example, which currently has a vacant seat after the brief paternity of Walter Chiapponi. The vision attentive to the desires of buyers, with an eye to the new generations, able to keep up with trends and to make people talk about it also through the support of celebrities, could prove to be the perfect formula for a brand that, like Bluemarine, in recent years has tried (and has partially succeeded) to pursue precisely the same goals as Amina Muaddi. Is this hypothesis far from reality? Maybe, but a girl has the right to dream. And this dream, I admit, piques my curiosity a lot.
CHRISTOPHER BAILEY AT GIVENCHY
Burberry’s renaissance is undoubtedly due to him. After 17 years at the helm of the brand, an MBE, a series of fashion awards, and the awareness of having rewritten the history of the brand and, in part, of fashion itself, Christopher Bailey left Burberry in 2017. How he has expanded the canons of the brand, revived its archives, created campaigns with photographers and important talents and also given space to the representation of the LGBT community, has determined a conscious path on an entrepreneurial and creatively effective level. In his place, the genius of Riccardo Tisci took over after 12 years at Givenchy, and it is precisely with this brand that I would like to associate the future of Christopher Bailey, also given the recent exit of Matthew Williams. With a sophisticated, detail-oriented approach, and a look at the past, it would undoubtedly be great news and a happy marriage. Until new gusts of wind separate them.
