Assessing Alessandro Michele’s couture debut for Valentino. Plus, Armani Privè and Chanel keep things moving and Gaurav Gupta surprises.

PARIS — Alessandro Michele’s Valentino couture debut was the most anticipated ticket of Paris Couture Week, and the designer didn't disappoint with a lavish spectacle at the Palais Brongniart, a fittingly historic backdrop for his past-meets-present storytelling.

Red words scrolled along a black board, poetic descriptors heralding Alessandro Michele’s first haute couture collection for Valentino.

This afternoon in Paris (29 Janaury 2025), the Italian designer hit new heights with an eclectic, era-traversing couture collection for Valentino

For his debut collection at the French house, the designer left 100-page documents as show notes on every seat at the runway show.

Valentino’s dizzying display rocks the boat at Paris haute couture week - Alessandro Michele’s couture debut certainly made an impression on show goers

Just a few days before Alessandro Michele’s inaugural Valentino couture show, the designer welcomed Vogue into his Paris atelier.

Brands including Dior, Chanel and Armani Privé showcased their new collections at a high-profile Haute Couture Week in Paris, with their shows attracting a host of global celebrities. Chanel's show was unsurprisingly star-studded, with Dua Lipa, Lily-Rose Depp and Kylie Jenner dressed in signature styles from the fashion house's archives.

Once the show got underway, a kind of digital ticker tape ran across the backdrop streaming even more words and proper names. Knowing that Michele is mad for Walter Benjamin, author of Arcades Project,

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