Valentino will not be showing in June

The fashion world is still reeling from Valentino’s announcement on Friday March 22, that it is parting ways with its creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. That said, the show must go on. With the first rumours circulating about potential candidates to succeed the designer, the Roman luxury fashion house has announced that its next menswear and haute couture collections will not be shown in June.

This decision comes “following the recent organisational announcement regarding the Maison’s creative direction”, the company said in a brief note, emphasising how “creativity will continue to lead the company as a key pillar, shaping new future collections in both women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and Haute Couture, elevating the brand’s DNA, its iconic codes and unrivalled Italian heritage.”

Loyal to the Paris catwalks, Valentino gave no further indication, not specifying whether the collections would be made by an in-house team or a new designer, or whether they would be presented to buyers despite not being on the catwalk. The company was unable to answer our questions on this subject.

This announcement, shrouded in mystery, would suggest that the Italian label, has already found a name to replace Pierpaolo Piccioli, and that its newly found creative director could be starting with the next women’s show for Spring/Summer 2025, in September.

According to sources quoted by the American newspaper WWD, it could be Alessandro Michele, the former creative director of Gucci, whose non-competition clause is due to expire shortly. Another possibility is the return to Valentino of Maria Grazia Chiuri, who left the Roman fashion house in 2016 to become creative director of Christian Dior’s women’s ready-to-wear and Haute Couture collections.