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Giancarlo Giammetti: The ultimate word on creative directors

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Valentino’s co-founder declares: “Style must be defended like freedom”


At Rome’s Forme festival – a celebration of fashion academies – Giancarlo Giammetti delivered what may stand as his ultimate word on creative directors. Between recollections of Valentino’s golden era and warnings about today’s industry, one declaration rang out like a battle cry: 

“Style must be defended like freedom.”


The Valentino co-founder served as guest speaker for the third talk of Forme – Perspectives on Fashion, Art, and Creativity, held March 21-22 at Massimiliano Fuksas’ striking Nuvola complex. In conversation with Tg1’s fashion director Barbara Modesti before an audience of students, Giammetti wove personal history into a masterclass on fashion’s shifting values.

Beauty as a form of radical resistance


“True beauty transcends aesthetics,” Giammetti asserted. “For Valentino and me, it now represents peace and serenity.” This philosophy drives their PM23 Foundation at Rome’s 23 Piazza Mignanelli, where fashion and art converge deliberately. “We’re simply honouring what always was: to create beauty through art and fashion.”

The lost art of creative freedom


His advice to emerging designers cut through the noise: “Create what you love. Believe in what you do, in your style, and try to assert it – even if times have changed.” The comparison to his and Valentino’s early struggles was inevitable. “Valentino and I were two twenty-year-olds coming together, facing a thousand difficulties. Today, the times impose business logic, and designers are no longer free to create. The system demands economic values. But the true values are those tied to solitude, freedom, and beauty.”

He recalled Valentino’s epiphany in Barcelona: “Spanish women in red at the opera, crimson flowers everywhere – that became his red. Not a Pantone, but blood and passion made visible.”

Creativity, not algorithms


Giammetti’s voice turned wry discussing fashion’s digital decay: “We dined with Warhol; Valentino dedicated collections to Basquiat. Art has always been fundamental to him.”  

Now? Designers create for Instagram’s hunger, not women’s lives. “We didn’t need to make a fuss on the runway or send messages. Today, with social media, it seems that designers make clothes more for photos on social media than for women.”

He praised the talent in the room but issued a warning: “Defend your style. Creative directors now bend to corporate wills—Valentino’s era of four-person ateliers is gone.”

Heritage vs. hype: Giancarlo Giammetti on creative directors – The ultimate word


Here came his most pointed critique as he pronounced the ultimate word on creative directors:

 “The relationship between a brand’s heritage and business strategy must be respected by creative directors. It’s not about copying the archive, but neither should it be turned into a mockery.”

The unspoken reference to Alessandro Michele’s Valentino tenure hovered like Roman humidity.

Giancarlo Giammetti: Support to young creatives


When prompted for a favourite anecdote, Giammetti shared: “We were visiting Queen Elizabeth, and Valentino said, ‘Your Majesty, may I introduce my assistant?’ I wanted to die.”
The crowd erupted in laughter—and later, a standing ovation—as he confirmed the Garavani Foundation’s mission: “To support young creatives.”

Final thoughts


At Forme – Perspectives on Fashion, Art, and Creativity, Giancarlo Giammetti offered clear, wholehearted guidance. His reflections encapsulated an unrepeatable chapter in fashion history—a true lesson for the younger generation. Yet, it also served as a powerful reminder for those beyond their youth.

His support for emerging creatives was evident. Yet, what resonated most was his ultimate word on creative directors: respect heritage, don’t merely copy the archive, and never turn it into a circus—wisdom much needed in today’s collapsing fashion industry.

In short, Giammetti distilled sixty years of fashion work into pure doctrine:

  • Style is sovereignty – defend it or lose it.
  • Beauty is responsibility – not Instagram currency.
  • Legacy isn’t Lego – don’t dismantle what you should elevate.

In an industry suffocating under frequent changes and instability, his words charted a course.

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Fashion Creative Roots

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The significance of creativity for the fashion industry


In the wake of Giancarlo Giammetti’s observations, the discourse around fashion creative roots gains further depth when considering the overarching exits of industry creative giants like Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, and the perspectives of Akira Onokuza, the mind behind Zucca. Their departures were not only about individual choices but symbolic of a larger shift in the fashion paradigm. Specifically, the industry moved from creativity to financial metrics.

Creativity & the current fashion industry:


1. Financial Focus versus Creativity: 

Put into perspective, Martin Margiela, Akira Onozuka, or Helmut Lang’s exits resonate with Giammetti’s comments. Their departures from the industry were not merely personal decisions but reflections of a system that prioritises sales forecasts and mass production over artistic expression and innovation. This departure of creative visionaries underscores the broader trend affecting the industry’s core.

2. Consequences of Overproduction: 

Akira Onokuza’s statement to Brutus Japan in 2021 about pervasive overproduction: “People are overproducing anything and everything,” further accentuates the problem. In fact, the industry’s obsession with churning out excessive quantities, fueled by consumerism, has led to environmental degradation and a devaluation of creativity in the pursuit of profit margins.

3. Reinforcing the Commitment to Change: 

These departures and insights reinforce our conviction that the fashion system must undergo a radical reevaluation. By advocating for limited production, emphasising quality craftsmanship, and prioritising sustainability, we stand with industry leaders who focus on creativity and conscientious consumption.

Creative essence: the core of fashion


In short, the departure of iconic designers and industry voices like Martin Margiela, Helmut Lang, and Akira Onokuza (to mention some of the true geniuses) serve as poignant reminders of the urgent need to shift the fashion industry’s focus. By staying steadfast in our commitment to a redefined value on creativity, craftsmanship, and sustainability, we aim to contribute to the revival of a meaningful fashion.

As fashion strayed from its creative origins, its essence eroded into a pursuit solely driven by financial gain. Therefore, restoring a connection with creativity, its core – is the first step toward achieving sustainability. Only through the reclamation of its creative roots will the fashion industry find purpose and direction.

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Threads of Change

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Elevating fashion with purposeful design and limited quantities


In this exploration, we delve into the threads of change, the transformative power of good design and limited quantities. Join us on a journey where fashion intersects with purpose, quality, and conscious consumption.

The British Fashion Council recently unveiled the winners of the Fashion Awards 2023, an event that celebrates the forefront of fashion and serves as a fundraiser for the BFC Foundation Charity. This gala not only spotlights creative talent but also underscores the pivotal role of fashion at the crossroads of culture and entertainment.

One of the most notable moments of the evening was the tribute to Valentino Garavani for his outstanding contribution to fashion. The celebration was marked by a spectacular fashion show featuring 24 iconic red dresses, all set against the backdrop of “An evening at the opera with Valentino.” This ballet, filmed in his hometown of Voghera, paid homage to his legacy, even dedicating the local theater to his name.
Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino’s lifetime business partner, received the award on his behalf. His interview to the Financial Times Fashion is a lesson on contemporary fashion industry.

Fashion, culture and change


In our journey through the blogging world, we’ve consistently emphasised the intrinsic connection between fashion and broader cultural themes. While this relationship might not be immediately evident to everyone, we firmly believe it exists.

Our message has been clear: fashion is not merely about an endless array of clothing and accessories. Endless catalogues with tons of options, or stores packed with clothes with the consequent need to push people to shop more and more.
Meaningful fashion, to us, embodies the principles of slow fashion, handcrafted garments, precise tailoring, and, above all, limited quantities. This approach isn’t just an aesthetic choice; it’s the cornerstone of sustainability within the fashion industry.

It’s crucial to distinguish true sustainability from what often amounts to greenwashing. In fact, brands or stores claiming sustainability while continuing to overproduce garments are missing the mark entirely.

However, reflecting on Giancarlo Giammetti‘s recent interview in the Financial Times resonates deeply with us. His sentiments echo the very challenges we face in today’s culture, which seems distant from this vision.

Giammetti’s words, particularly, strike a chord:

“We left because the industry changed and meetings were all about money, not design. Sales forecasts decided what got created. The conglomerates made each label work to the same model. We couldn’t launch today. If we did, we’d be doing slow fashion, inviting fewer people to buy, at the highest quality. You don’t have to be judged on the number of dresses you make. And sustainability must be everyone’s preoccupation right now.”

via Financial Times Fashion
Giancarlo Giammetti

In fact, our radical fashion proposition and business model sometimes feel demotivating in a world fixated on overconsumption. But Giammetti’s stance is a comforting reminder. Indeed, it reaffirms our belief: embracing a model based on good design, quality and limited quantity.

These threads of change are a pivotal shift towards a more conscious and sustainable fashion industry. Embracing this ethos isn’t merely a choice; it’s a statement—a commitment to crafting a better, more responsible future through our fashion choices.

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