Heritage luxury has a brand new clientele post the pandemic. And the way legacy fashion brands have made their way into the hearts of the young and the restless makes even pessimists believe in ‘comebacks’.

Now, fashion commentary for the 20-something includes mentions Off-White and Versace in the same breath. Something’s got to be said about creative vision combined with brilliant marketing strategies that has brought legacy brands back in vogue with the young’uns. And the creative directors behind them have a MAJOR role to play in that given the genius vision mixed with their own personality and reputation.

Donatella Versace is a legend in herself; which brings us to Maison Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli, who’s sudden departure from the brand has left the fashion world ‘shooketh’. While the move itself is being deemed by industry experts as a strategic one to compete with now-global juggernauts like Dior, the aesthetic energy of Pierpaolo is the real loss here. Here’s a look at his career highlights.

Master Of Colour Play

‘Valentino Pink’ was on everybody’s mind back in 2022. And it all birthed from Pierpaolo’s collaboration with Pantone to create the ‘Pink PP’ collection in a vibrant shade of hot pink. An offshoot of viral marketing, the moment was proof of Pierpaolo’s incredible eye for colour play in his designs. A starkly different turn for his final collection, that embraced an all-black palette, the designer explained that this choice was symbolic of the ‘darkness’ we often find ourselves in.

Multiple Brand Ambassadors and Collaborators

Quite often when you see brand ambassadors seated pretty at the FROW, they’re a personal invite from the creative directors; and Pierpaolo Piccioli made friends with some of the biggest celebrity names during his time. Embracing modernity and championing diversity in all its forms,  Piccioli enlisted a fresh lineup of ambassadors including Florence Pugh, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, Zendaya, Rihanna and FKA Twigs, further enhancing the brand’s appeal towards the largely digital fashion consumer base.

Red Carpet Mentions

Hand in hand on the red carpet, Piccioli has tuned a fashionable date for multiple A-listers, and dressed others for their own viral moment. From Florence Pugh’s stunning feather crown at the 2023 Met Gala to Zendaya’s striking shirt-and-glitter-skirt ensemble at 2022’s Oscars, picking a standout look from his reign is no easy feat. The images are still vivid in our consciousness: from Pedro Pascal debuting in short shorts at the 2023 Met Gala, to Lady Gaga in her gorgeous powder blue gown at the 2019 Golden Globes, full with matching blue hair and ballet slipper nails!

In Tune With His Emotions

Many tend to forget that from July 2016 until his departure, Piccioli had held the position of Valentino’s exclusive creative director following current Dior header Maria Grazia Chiuri’s departure. Having joined the Rome-based brand together in 1999, the pair are known to jointly oversee the design realizations of the brand since 2008. And many fashion critics believed that while Chiuri contributed the romantic flair to their clothing, Piccioli provided the edge.

However, following Chiuri’s departure, it became evident very fast that Piccioli was the dreamier one of the two. Showcasing his penchant for feeling things deeply, sometimes too much, his 2019 Spring couture collection featured predominantly models of colour in romantic elements such as ruffles, tulle, lace, and florals answering Piccioli’s contemplations on Cecil Beaton’s iconic 1948 photograph of Charles James dresses. “What if black women were included in that image?” The answer unfolded in a collection presentation that received a standing ovation from attendees.

Of experimental formats

Piccioli’s fashion exhibitions frequently felt like plunging into a vivid artistic realm. From the Spanish Steps in Rome and the Château de Chantilly near Paris to Rome’s Cinecittà studios for their 2020 Fall Couture presentation, his experiments with show formats pushed the boundaries of what a couture presentation should be like.

all images ©theimpression, valentino