Giambattista Valli
If Piccioli’s Valentino was your dream wardrobe, Giambattista Valli is its closest living relative. The Italian designer, based in Paris, is a master of unapologetic romance. His collections are an explosion of tulle, organza, and taffeta, often rendered
in magnificent, floor-sweeping silhouettes that feel both grand and delicate. Like Piccioli, Valli has a reverence for haute couture techniques, which he translates into ready-to-wear that never skimps on drama. He is celebrated for his use of frothy textures, intricate floral embroideries, and a color palette that runs from soft pastels to vibrant, confident hues. Valli’s work is for the woman who believes fashion should be a fantasy, delivering pure, unadulterated beauty with every look. It’s less about trend-chasing and more about creating timeless moments of glamour.
Simone Rocha
For those who appreciate the softer side of Piccioli's work but also crave a little edge, Simone Rocha is the perfect match. The Dublin-born, London-based designer shares a love for historical romance, voluminous shapes, and intricate embellishments like pearls and beading. However, Rocha’s vision is filtered through a slightly darker, more subversive lens. She brilliantly plays with contrasts: the delicate with the tough, the masculine with the feminine, and the historical with the contemporary. You’ll find ethereal, layered tulle dresses, but they might be grounded with chunky platform boots or have unexpected cutouts. Her work explores a complex, powerful vision of femininity that feels deeply personal and intellectual, much like Piccioli’s most thoughtful collections.
Erdem Moralioglu
Erdem Moralioglu’s London-based label, ERDEM, resonates with the narrative-driven, artistic side of Piccioli’s Valentino. Each of Erdem’s collections begins with a deep dive into history, often inspired by a specific woman, piece of art, or cultural moment. This storytelling approach results in clothes that feel rich with meaning. His aesthetic is defined by what can only be described as a painterly use of florals, exquisite textiles, and an air of poetic, slightly melancholic romance. While Piccioli often reached for bold, singular color statements, Erdem builds his color stories through intricate prints and fabrics. He creates a world where clothes are not just garments but artifacts of a beautifully told story, appealing to those who loved the intellect and emotion woven into Valentino’s runway shows.
Harris Reed
If you were captivated by the inclusivity and dramatic flair of Piccioli’s Valentino, then Harris Reed is a designer to watch. Describing his aesthetic as "Romanticism gone non-binary," Reed is at the forefront of the gender-fluid fashion movement. His work is a celebration of flamboyant self-expression, featuring towering silhouettes, massive headpieces, and a theatrical sensibility that turns clothing into performance art. Much like Piccioli brought a more inclusive and humanistic vision to couture, Reed uses his platform to challenge traditional notions of masculinity and femininity, arguing for the beauty of fluidity. While his approach is more avant-garde, the core belief in fashion's power to liberate and celebrate the individual is a direct spiritual successor to the values championed at Valentino.
Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli
This might seem like a wildcard, but the connection between Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli and Piccioli’s Valentino lies in a shared, profound respect for the art of haute couture. While Piccioli modernized Valentino with color and wearability, Roseberry revived Schiaparelli by embracing its surrealist origins and pushing craftsmanship to its absolute limit. The American designer creates fashion that is undeniably spectacular, using molded anatomy, gilded hardware, and unexpected materials to make bold, artistic statements. Where Piccioli found humanity in simplicity and color, Roseberry finds it in the exquisite, often breathtaking, skill of the artisan's hand. If you appreciate the jaw-dropping moments of a couture show—the sheer audacity and artistry—Roseberry delivers that same thrill, albeit with a sharper, more surreal edge.
