Valentino’s ‘Vertigineux’ Blurs History, Fantasy, and Haute Couture

Valentino's Spring/Summer 2025 Haute Couture collection, titled “Vertigineux”, marked Alessandro Michele’s debut at the helm of the storied Italian fashion house. Presented at Palais Brongniart during Paris Haute Couture Week, the 48-look show was a maximalist spectacle that blended historical opulence with cinematic fantasy.

Michele drew inspiration from Umberto Eco’s exploration of lists as both a means to impose order and evoke chaos. Each garment was conceived as a “list” of interconnected worlds, referencing figures like Cleopatra, Freud, and William Morris, and elements such as lace, ruffles, and bows. The collection was a visual embodiment of Eco’s philosophy, presenting couture as a narrative that transcends time and space.

The collection featured grand silhouettes, including Elizabethan-inspired ballgowns and regal Tudor-esque shapes, adorned with intricate lace, cascading ruffles, and bows. Notable pieces included a tiered ivory lace column dress honoring Valentino Garavani and a scarlet moiré robe reminiscent of papal regalia, reflecting Rome’s ecclesiastical allure. Each piece was a testament to meticulous craftsmanship, with some garments requiring over 860 hours of handwork.

The runway was set against a backdrop of scrolling text projections, with words like “rapture,” “disruption,” and “juxtaposition” illuminating the darkened room. Models appeared beneath these projections, their outfits annotated with cryptic phrases such as “petticoat, tundra, eschatology.”

The finale was electrifying, with models racing under strobe lights, crinolines and capes swirling like storm clouds to Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights, creating a whirlwind of craft and chaos.