Alessandra Facchinetti 'Out' At Valentino: The Cruel Predictability Of The Fashion Industry

Rumors had been swirling around the blogosphere all week concerning the potential replacement of Alessandra Facchinetti at the helm of Valentino by Giambattista Valli. It turned out the rumors were partially true - Facchinetti is out but will in fact be replaced by Valentino accessories designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. This is an unfortunately predictable move in an industry that has become notorious for the 'revolving door' phenomenon. It is also a cruel one.

Alessandra Facchinetti, photo by Stefano Rellandini, courtesy of Time Magazine.

Indeed, I find this move particularly unfair where Ms. Facchinetti is concerned. She had the ungrateful task of taking up the mantle of someone who just couldn't let go. It's not so much that her collections weren't successful as that she was not allowed to succeed in her own right. I've personally lost count of the number of interviews, tributes, museum retrospectives, books, documentary films and all-around orgy of self-indulgence associated with the departure of Valentino Garavani from his eponymous fashion house. After such a long, prosperous and influential career, it's not as though anyone could begrudge him a few parties. It's just that it becomes rather difficult to step into someone's shoes when they refuse to relinquish them meaningfully. Surely, an old hand like Valentino had to know that he wasn't doing his replacement any favors by being as ubiquitous on the fashion circuit after he retired as he was before he retired. In this respect, he would have done well to take his cue from Hubert de Givenchy.

Now that the tricky transition phase of Valentino's retirement is over (perhaps the French word 'rupture' would be more accurate here), someone else will waltz in and will have a much easier time assuming the mantle. Expectations will have been lowered, the propensity to make direct comparisons between the founder and the new guard will have diminished and most importantly, the general hoopla surrounding Valentino's retirement will have finally come to a close. Could this have been the scheme all along as some have suggested? Was Ms. Facchinetti a mere placeholder of sorts? If true, that would be very cruel indeed (even by fashion industry standards).

There is more to this story than mere dissatisfaction with a designer's frocks of course. I think the 'revolving door' phenomenon is a direct consequence of the way brands are financed and managed. There is no longer any time for a young designer to find their footing or their fashion 'voice' so-to-speak. There is no room for mistake. They have to get it exactly right from the start and most importantly, they have to show that their collections make money. Lots of it. Had this set of circumstances been in place when young design luminaries such as Yves Saint Laurent or Valentino Garavani himself started their fashion houses, there would not be a 'YSL' or 'Valentino' fashion house today. Just think how impoverished the industry would be had they not had their chance to leave their mark on fashion.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Comments

[Helene]

Thank you for your comment Randall. It's a shame - I was just starting to get interested in the Valentino brand again. To my mind, it has always been a brand I've associated with my mother's and grandmother's generations. I thought Ms. Facchinetti was on the right track and would eventually come into her own. While Ivana Omazic never quite hit her stride at 'Celine', she was at least given several seasons before she was replaced.

Helene

[Randall]

I am here to say I agree with your sentiments regarding Miss Facchinetti. She certainly seemed to be doing a capable job. The collection was not at all lackluster. I wish her well.

[Helene]

Thank you TraiT! I agree - I too am sad to see her go. I think her appointment was a poisoned chalice of sorts - she was never really given a fair chance to make a serious go of it.

Sincerely,

Helene

[TraiT]

HI HELENE!

Chance upon your informative and well fashion-knowledge equipped diary which is now in my favourites :D

Anyway, I was really depressed by the leave of Alessandra from Valentino yesterday. SHE WAS DOING SO WELL!
But what's news to me would have to be your mention of the "scheme". If that's true behind the red dresses, it would be excruciatingly cruel, like you said.

And it's also really sad that nowadays, most part of fashion is driven by nothing but profits. If can't sell, you aren't successful. That's probably the reason why most London designers are struggling now even if their have the most avant-garde creations ever. Even Christopher Kane and Lousie Goldin are counting on Topshop.