Valentino hires former Gucci designer Michele as creative director

By Elisa Anzolin and Mimosa Spencer

MILAN (Reuters) -Valentino has hired former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele as creative director, after the announcement of Pierpaolo Piccioli's departure last week, the Italian fashion house said on Thursday.

Michele, 51, was born in Rome and worked for Gucci for 20 years, becoming the brand's creative director in 2015.

Known for his eclectic and flamboyant styles, he initially helped drive soaring growth at Gucci but then abruptly left the Italian brand, owned by French luxury group Kering, at the end of 2022.

"The appointment of Alessandro Michele marks another pivotal moment for Maison Valentino," Chairman Rachid Mohamed Rachid said in a statement.

Michele will start next week and will be based in Rome, where the fashion house is headquartered.

"It's an incredible honour for me," said Michele in the statement. He cited Valentino founders Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti and said he was going "to pay homage to their influence through my own interpretation and creative vision".

His first collection will be presented during this autumn's Paris Fashion Week for the Spring-Summer collections 2025, after Valentino cancelled its June fashion shows in the wake of the departure of the long-serving Piccioli and his bold use of colours and romantic, floor-sweeping red carpet designs.

Kering bought a 30% stake in Valentino last year from Qatari investment fund Mayhoola, with an option to buy the rest in five years.

"I can't wait to see his passion, imagination and dedication at play in this new chapter for Valentino," Francois-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive of Kering, said in a separate statement.

Last year, Kering's main label Gucci recruited Sabato de Sarno - who worked behind the scenes at Valentino, alongside Piccioli - to replace Michele, and introduce a new aesthetic to the brand.

Marking a departure from his predecessor Michele, De Sarno has brought more understated glamour to Gucci in his first three runway shows in Milan.

(Reporting by Elisa Anzolin in Milan and Mimosa Spencer in ParisEditing by Keith Weir and Susan Fenton)