Valentino Haute Couture 2025: An Exploration of the Infinite

For his debut haute couture collection for Valentino, titled Vertigineux, Alessandro Michele plays with literature and visual aesthetics to reimagine fashion. Drawing inspiration from the poetic chaos of lists, the collection creates a continuous conversation between history and modernity, structure and chaos, the concrete and the limitless. Each item features a rich blend of artistic influences, botanical hints, and cinematic allusions, defying the rigidity of definition and celebrating the excitement of abundance.

Michele’s Valentino marks a shift away from the sculptural minimalism of his predecessor, Pierpaolo Piccioli. In this collection, couture transforms into a joyful exploration of extravagance—embroidered fabrics overflow like ornate writing, ruffles accumulate with an intense energy, and silhouettes prioritize narrative over symmetry. His approach reflects a Renaissance-inspired curiosity, treating garments as dynamic records, with each seam resonating with elements of art, philosophy, and history. This is not fashion merely for decoration; it is a deep examination of the endless expressions of beauty.

However, beneath the maximalist rapture, there is a subtle intelligence at play. The collection highlights the struggle between restraint and freedom, echoing Michele’s interest in Umberto Eco’s idea of the “vertigo of the list”—that exhilarating point when listing becomes limitless, transforming a dress from mere fabric into a vessel for varied narratives. In this perspective, couture is defined by variety rather than singularity; it embraces ambiguity rather than straightforwardness, celebrating the beauty of the “etcetera.”

In Vertigineux, Michele rewrites the Valentino lexicon, propelling the brand from its romantic roots towards a vast, dreamlike experience. This collection feels infinite, with each outfit seamlessly flowing into the next, creating an ongoing narrative that seems to stretch on forever. In a society that seeks clarity, Valentino now celebrates the allure of the elusive—an infinite, glimmering pause.

Image Credit: Valentino