Voyeurism and couture: Alessandro Michele’s masterstroke at Valentino

A flamboyant, daring Valentino couture show

January 28th, 2026, marked Alessandro Michele’s second couture show for Valentino, following the highly anticipated and widely praised debuts of Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Matthieu Blazy at Chanel. Yet, one can note that his Specula Mundi collection was presented in a particular context. Just ten days ago, Valentino Garavani, founder of the Italian house, unfortunately passed away at the age of 93…

Although it would have been difficult to design an overt tribute collection given the timing, Alessandro Michele nevertheless managed to echo the Roman couturier‘s legacy through bold couture silhouettes, filled with cultural references, and more particularly to Hollywood’s golden age.

Inside the dark space of the Paris Tennis Club in the 16th arrondissement, the designer installed a dozen wooden cylindrical booths, inspired by the Kaiserpanorama, a 19th-century optical viewing device. Guests were invited to place their heads into small square openings to discover the sixty flamboyant silhouettes of this new couture collection.

A reflection on contemporary voyeurism

At first glance, these circular openings might remind us of peep shows. A reading that’s admittedly a touch provocative, but one that could easily align with Alessandro Michele’s often eccentric universe. His Fall/Winter 2025-2026 show for Valentino took place in public baths, for instance. Regarding this couture collection, however, it quickly became clear that the message goes far beyond provocation…

“Each person looked alone, yet everyone watched together, participating in a public ritual founded on the isolation of the gaze,” the designer wrote in his show notes. Through this original and unsettling setup, Alessandro Michele encourages a more attentive observation of the clothes, while questioning our modern relationship to vision, voyeurism, and the exposition of images amplified by social media. “Haute couture seeks to offer a vision defined by a different temporality, composed of slowness, closeness and concentration,” he reminded us.

Dans la note du défilé, le créateur explique : “Chacun se trouvait seul à regarder, mais tous regardaient au même moment : un rite public fondé sur l’isolement du regard.” À travers cette mise en scène originale et déroutante, Alessandro Michele permet ainsi une observation plus attentive des vêtements, tout en interrogeant notre rapport contemporain au regard, au voyeurisme et à la surexposition des images amplifiées par les réseaux sociaux. “La Haute Couture veut offrir une temporalité différente, faite de lenteur et de proximité”, rappelle-t-il.

A collection inspired by the golden age of cinema

While the staging may surprise some, the signature of the Roman designer, known for reviving flamboyant romanticism during his time at Gucci, is instantly recognizable. The richness of the embroidery, dramatic headpieces, and the oversized accessories adorned with feathers in bright colours are central to this couture collection. From the very first look, a dangerously low-cut red gown, the tone is set. Alessandro Michele infuses the show with a mood steeped in nostalgia, drawing from the golden age of cinema and Hollywood glamour.

A fascination that the designer openly embraces: “There are many references to that era, because I was trying to go back. It is one of my obsessions”. With Specula Mundi, Alessandro Michele ultimately asserts his own personal vision of haute couture at Valentino, orchestrating a dialogue between past and present in every silhouette.

All the looks from the Valentino Spring/Summer 2026 couture show