Valentino’s New Designer Showcases History and Drama at Couture Debut in Paris

 A model wears a creation as part of the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2025 collection, that was presented in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP)
A model wears a creation as part of the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2025 collection, that was presented in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP)
TT
20

Valentino’s New Designer Showcases History and Drama at Couture Debut in Paris

 A model wears a creation as part of the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2025 collection, that was presented in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP)
A model wears a creation as part of the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2025 collection, that was presented in Paris, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP)

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.

Known for his “more is more” aesthetic, Michele delivered a VIP-filled show on Wednesday brimming with historical reverence, theatricality, and his signature offbeat twists.

Michele, who previously spent nearly eight years redefining Gucci with his eclectic maximalism, has long drawn inspiration from history. It's an obsession that traces back to his childhood in Rome, where he would rummage through his mother’s closet, captivated by the textures of bygone eras.

His tenure at Gucci transformed the brand into a powerhouse of layered nostalgia and offbeat opulence, making his appointment at Valentino — a house steeped in aristocratic elegance — both a natural evolution and a challenge.

His arrival was a significant shift from Valentino's former designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who was celebrated for his pared-down romanticism.

The opening look set the tone: a harlequin-patterned gown of enormous proportions, fusing the whimsy of the circus with regal splendor.

Full skirts billowed with 18th-century grandeur against a stark black runway, while ’70s-inspired ruffles added his distinctive vintage-inflected edge. A standout floral gown, evocative of Marie Antoinette, received the New Romantics treatment, a nod to the late ‘70s and early ’80s era that has long fascinated the designer.

Though the collection largely played to Michele’s strengths, with exuberance tempered by couture-level precision, some elements felt overdone. A polka dot jacket with an oversized bow veered into twee territory, an example of how his fondness for embellishment can sometimes tip into excess. Yet, the overall balance leaned toward refinement, with a relative restraint compared to his past work at Gucci.

Michele’s couture debut reaffirmed his reputation as a designer who finds beauty in historical excavation.



Birkin Bag Maker Hermes End of Year Sales Jump

A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
20

Birkin Bag Maker Hermes End of Year Sales Jump

A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)
A Mimosa Matte Mississippiensis Alligator Birkin handbag by Hermes is pictured during an auction preview at Sotheby's in Geneva, Switzerland, November 7, 2024. (Reuters)

French luxury group Hermes reported an 18% rise in fourth quarter sales on Friday, showing robust appetite from wealthy shoppers for the most expensive luxury items like its Birkin bags, which cost upwards of $10,000.

Hermes continues to outshine rivals like LVMH and Kering-owned Gucci thanks to its wealthier customers as the industry suffers its slowest sales in years. Global luxury sales fell around 2% last year, hurt by a property crisis crimping spending in China and inflation-weary shoppers elsewhere.

"We are celebrating an excellent year, in a tougher environment," Axel Dumas, executive chairman, told journalists on a call.

Sales for the fourth quarter came to 3.96 billion euros ($4.14 billion), an 18% rise at constant exchange rates, accelerating in the important end of year period, with the fastest growth in the Americas and Japan.

The growth beat analyst expectations for a 10% rise, according to a Visible Alpha consensus cited by UBS.

The Hermes leather goods and saddlery division, which accounts for nearly half of group revenue, grew the fastest, up 21.5%. Analysts had expected a rise of 13%.

The double-digit growth at Hermes contrasts with LVMH's 1% rise over the last three months of the year.

Hermes also reported 9% growth in sales in the Asia region excluding Japan, the label's biggest market, despite the downturn in traffic in Greater China seen since the end of the first quarter of 2024.

Dumas added, however, that it was "too early to see an inflection" in the industry, despite some positive signs.

Hermes is known for its tight grip on production, sticking to an annual increase of around 6-7% a year, with order backlogs cushioning it from falling demand while holding up the label's exclusive aura.

Sales in the Americas region clocked 22.3% growth, matching growth in Japan.

Asked about the impact from potential US tariffs on European goods, Dumas said the company would not adjust its production.

"We are attached to keeping our production where it is," he said, citing France for leather goods, Switzerland for watches and Italy for shoes.

"We'll adapt to tariffs, and raise prices accordingly," he added.

The company is raising prices 6-7% this year to reflect higher production costs and exchange rates, Dumas added.