History and its contradictory implications. A missed button that becomes a precious gift to be treasured. The pageantry and the wrong note that becomes hypnotic poetic license. Rome, its magnificence, its vices, its forgotten corners and its sublime beauty that provokes an immediate Stendhal syndrome. For Alessandro Michele, interference is an opportunity. A wonderful opportunity to converge inspirations, eras, visions seemingly distant but finding their own perfectly imperfect harmony.
The setting for the show, held occasionally last night in Rome, speaks for itself: Palazzo Barberini, a fundamental jumble of art and primary historical influences, as well as home to the National Gallery of Ancient Art and the Italian Institute of Numismatics. Designed between 1625 and 1633 by the elderly architect Carlo Maderno and architect Francesco Borromini, it was later taken over by Bernini, who found himself collaborating with Borromini himself to bring to life the palace’s sumptuous facades as we know them today. Already then, in the genesis of the palace, different creative energies coexist, which nevertheless found their own raison d’être but above all were able to give life to an eternal project. A game of interference precisely. In some way, as Alessandro Michele himself declared, he himself is an interference: in fact, he finds himself in charge of a historical maison of Italian fashion, founded by someone else, making his own contribution in an ancient and ever-evolving concatenation. But that is the beauty of fashion: contradictions that find an agreement, a common language, a territory to explore and re-explore from time to time, where past and present collide and meet.
The FW26 collection plays precisely on this thin border of different energies, where influences coming straight from the late 1980s combine with that dreamy and maximalist touch that is typical of Michele, but also with a new sensuality. If in the past Valentino’s creative director had given us full-bodied but sometimes excessive collections, in this fashion show he seems to have found the key between lightness and opulence, in a winning equation. Lingerie tops in sophisticated lace and draped grand soirée skirts, capes with structured shoulders and a shower of iridescent sparkles, important jewelry definitely bound to make a mark, and skinny jeans. Ruffles and asymmetrical cuts, pleating and irreverent furry details, masquerade glasses that giant over the face. And then the man, sophisticated in his never-predictable tailoring, with specially made coats, sashes, satin jackets with precious oriental necklines, daily sneakers and finely decorated mini bags.
And there, solemnly traversing the palace staircase, the models advance one by one blending with the striking interiors, and the baroque paintings of putti and pastoral and gaudy scenes become the perfect backdrop for a show that is probably Alexander Michael’s most successful since his arrival at Valentino’s. After all, in the invitation with the now viral button sent to guests-a reproduction of the button unfastened from Bernini’s sculpted bust depicting Cardinal Pietro Valier-the phrase “Quod est perenne gaudium requiere” recurred. “The pursuit of eternal happiness.” And a little last night we breathed this happiness.
[📷Courtesy of Valentino]
