That Valentino Fall/Winter 2024 ended up being longtime creative director Pier Paolo Piccioli's final presentation for the maison feels fitting. But only in hindsight, when Piccioli announced his departure from Valentino on March 22.
It's not just that Piccioli's last show was an outlier. It was, of course, but it was also so good that it's actually the perfect herald of Valentino's new era.
The most obvious signifier was visible at surface level. Whereas Piccioli's Valentino's collections as of late were all saturated in shades of red, especially Valentino's Pantone-designed "Pink PP," Valentino FW24 was pure black, a surprisingly somber affair suitably titled Le Noir.
It was a stark 180. And it looked fantastic.
In a vacuum, Valentino FW24 was a highwater mark by any definition. In hindsight, it's actually the perfect passing of stylistic torch, demonstrative of how Valentino's best qualities and what the future may hold.
Valentino FW24 is all crisp lines, intricate fabrication, and tone-on-tone accessorizing, the picture of urbane lucidity. Intelligent material selection — patent leather for shine, wiry beading for texture — created knowing depth.
Fabrication was sumptuous but not ostentatious, the single shade deftly handled so as to not be bogged down by the overwhelming darkness of it all — even the shades and lipstick was black — because the fluidity of the silhouettes and lightness of the garments kept it all in check.
That Piccioli replaced his typically fluorescent clothes with ornate, understated grace was indicative of his mastery of the Valentino codes. Valentino is not solely shaped by color but by craft, cut, considered clothing that is smart, sensual, sharp.
It was as good a note as any for Piccioli to leave on.
Piccioli likely knew that this would be his final Valentino presentation. He didn't clarify as much in his official goodbye, posted to Instagram on March 22, but the FW24 runway show felt like a purposeful turning point.
It's part of a bigger picture in which Valentino is experiencing a patient rebirth, chic as ever but emboldened by extra cool. The cast was already in place, now the costumes are ready.
If you were particularly perceptive, you might've first caught rumblings of newness in early 2024, when Valentino began dressing a certain sect of youth culture movers and shakers.
Its fashion show guests included the usual cultural heavyweights — J.Lo, Serena Williams, the Jenners — but also an increasing number of influential young people, like singer Gracie Abrams, musician King Princess, athlete Reece James, and Zayn.
Valentino's young friends are bringing a modern edge to its perpetual elegance. This was Valentino quietly hinting at its next steps, poised to walk culture's cutting edge.
Piccioli's all-black runway show was the most obvious baton pass. This will be the locus of the new Valentino, from whence the house's next era will spring.
And if this most recent collection was this good, imagine what the future holds.
