Creative director Alessandro Michele continues to infuse Valentino’s signature eccentricities into each collection, maintaining his distinct off-kilter aesthetic within the esteemed Roman house. His approach mirrors that of modern creative directors who arrive with fully formed visions, attempting to graft their perspectives onto the brand’s foundational legacy—seeking to cultivate something exceptional from the fusion.
For Resort 2027, Michele explores the delicate balance between couture’s elevated sophistication and the practical demands of daily life—a challenging endeavor, as he describes it, akin to “mixing the devil with holy water.” This improbable pairing has long been central to his creative philosophy, consistently generating polarized responses while allowing him to remain steadfast in his artistic vision.
Shot at a grand Lombard villa, the collection presents a vision reminiscent of a “Saltburn” narrative transposed to Milan’s Navigli River area: decadent, detached, and evoking the aesthetic of youthful excess. The lineup features preppy blazers, collegiate stripes, and references to school uniforms, creating a distinctive blend of high fashion and student life.
The collection offers considerable wearability, with standout pieces including logo-emblazoned tracksuits bearing phrases like “You Can Come To My Villa” and “Villain Teen,” alongside preppy blazers, pleated tartan skirts, reassuring Aran knit ensembles, and front-slit denim maxi skirts paired with crisp striped shirts. This broad appeal reflects luxury fashion’s increasing inclination toward diversity over rigid definition.
Michele conceptualizes this collection as a “Valentino 2.0” wardrobe—an evolution that honors the house’s aristocratic heritage while avoiding the constraints of tradition. The designer emphasizes his fascination with contemporary wardrobe versatility, where exceptional pieces coexist with everyday items. “This is how some of my friends actually dress,” he notes. “It’s beautiful to see that freedom.”
The collection’s core philosophy centers on liberating elegance from formal occasions, enabling garments like lavishly embroidered jackets to transcend their conventional contexts. Models embody this approach through unexpected pairings—hoodies alongside baseball caps, crepon blouses tied in elaborate bows, and sequined tracksuits layered over sportswear. Michele describes this as a generational reimagining of Valentino’s refined glamour: “no longer rarefied, but inhabited rather than performed.”
Acknowledging the complexity of defining beauty in today’s fragmented cultural landscape, Michele reflects on the tension between historical continuity and contemporary volatility. His response is to construct narrative worlds through fashion, creating fictional scenarios that anticipate future realities. “It becomes a sort of necessary trip, both for the audience and for the author himself,” he observes. “Without it, one risks sinking into nothing more than a sea of rags.”
