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Pierpaolo Piccioli announced departure from Valentino

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Fashion Industry: Financial Gain at the Expense of Creative Vision

Seismic news rocked the fashion industry: Pierpaolo Piccioli, the creative force behind Valentino, has announced his departure. This startling development prompts us to question, even further, the essence of fashion itself.

Piccioli’s sole leadership modernised Valentino with unparalleled and undeniable beauty. His visionary approach to fashion exuded poetic elegance, expressed through magnificent couture pieces. Also, he championed inclusivity and diversity, embodying a powerful political stance. 

PP Piccioli: an exception in the fashion industry

However, Piccioli has been an exception in fashion: he’s been the only designer who has fully respected the Maison’s DNA he designed for. (We wrote about it here). Very few others have shown such humble respect for the founder. In fact, Mr Valentino’s own words after the announcement sum it up perfectly: 

“Thank you, @pppiccioli, first and foremost, for your friendship, respect, and support.
You’re the only designer I know who hasn’t tried to distort the codes of a major brand by imposing new ones and the megalomania of a ridiculous ego. “

Mr Valentino via Instagram

Mr. Valentino’s insights shed light on the contemporary approach of creative directors in their roles. The presumed objective is to revitalise the brand’s image, infusing it with modernity. However, lacking humility or reverence, many creative directors recklessly discard past achievements. More often than not, this results in designs devoid of beauty or purpose, merely serving marketing interests. In other words, the fashion industry is all about financial gain at the expense of creativity and consistency.

It’s undeniable that the luxury sector is experiencing a slowdown. But it’s crucial to recognize that creative designers don’t have a magic wand. Moreover, no other designer can uphold Valentino’s legacy to the extent that Piccioli has thus far.

Financial gain vs creativity and consistency

Indeed, it’s disconcerting how the fashion industry incessantly targets younger generations. The reality is, most young people cannot afford a 2,200 euro mini dress! So, this prompts reflection on whether the true essence of design has shifted towards more accessible items. Should we expect fashion Maisons to sell logoed baseball caps?

Should we anticipate another ‘Balenciagan’ spectacle? Or a new lace & blossom Alessandro Michele’s Gucci style? These are just a couple of examples of larger-than-life egos in the industry. Alessandro Michele’s radical transformation of Gucci begs some questions. After he killed Gucci’s heritage, will the Maison ever regain its credibility? And does it make any sense to risk a similar fate for Valentino?

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pierpaolo Piccioli announced his departure from Valentino, leaving many perplexed. Beyond expressing admiration for the immense beauty that he has brought to the forefront over the years, we struggle to grasp the underlying rationale. Or, perhaps, we understand it all too well. But we are fed up with that game.

We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Fashion and Politics

How fashion outlines a political view

Fashion and politics are connected, indeed some people in the field release straightforward statements.

The Italian elections, held yesterday, caused concern about the risk of undermining what our parents and grandparents have tried to achieve so far. Something that still was a work in progress but now looks more like a “work in regress.” A political and cultural setback considering it is the first far-right government since Mussolini. Yes, it sounds scary.

Politicians shouting out loud worked to exacerbate a climate of hate. And since people don’t learn from history, repeating mistakes looks like the outcome. So, in this panorama, we found it interesting reading the thought of Pierpaolo Piccioli. One of the most prominent figures in the fashion industry took a clear stance on politics and Italian elections.

Can fashion be political?

Let’s start with a premise. When fashion pinpoints words such as inclusion, diversity or genderless, it envisions a specific worldview. And that vision of the world has a lot to do with politics, indeed.

So, in a time when some acquired rights are at risk, and that worldview based on ideas that bring people together, accepting all the differences may be swept away. And individual freedom and choices can vanish, it’s good to see people in the fashion industry who aren’t afraid to speak up.

Fashion politics

Pierpaolo Piccioli (Valentino’s designer), from his Instagram account, released a very on-point and heartfelt statement. He spoke in support of freedom, women’s choices on independent decisions about themselves and their bodies, and gender that doesn’t have to be only male or female. Indeed, he released a political statement calling himself “a man of the left.”

Perhaps, using words lightly when the world goes insane is not enough. Therefore, we must speak up to support the world we want and put our face on.

Whatever happens, we share what Piccioli wrote. We promote a world that values different cultures. And inclusion, diversity, human rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights. Indeed we must respect everyone’s rights. It’s the worldview for modern humans.

But, in the end, we wake up today with a lesson to learn: never give our rights for granted!

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