 Valentino has let go its new designer, Alessandra Facchinetti, after just two seasons. Rumours she discovered to have lost her job by reading it in the papers have many wondering the future credibility of the fashion house, and others. As Susie Menkes in the Herald Tribune aptly pointed
out, with so many topnotch designers reaching retirement age, or having already passed it, how does a brand replace a designer mogul at its helm and is it possible to live to up the same expectations?
 Facchinetti aimed to entice a younger clientele to the brand with her handwriting, favouring lighter silhouettes on the catwalk, but in turn they may have alienated the loyal following who adored Valentino Garavani himself. Valentino was thought to remark she hadn't made enough use of the brand's archives.
"Considering that trouble has apparently been simmering at Valentino throughout the summer, Facchinetti did a heroic job", said Menkes. What the show lacked was runway pizzazz, which might be considered a positive rather than a negative, considering the difficult retail climate around the world but also when a house is undergoing changes it will require a few seasons for designer to create her mark.
"It is not easy to make an analysis of the situation in a few words - we will make a statement in the next days," said Stefano Sassi, chief executive of Valentino, which is part of the Italian Permira luxury investment group. He was speaking backstage after the show, on which he made no comment.
Giambattista Valli is rumoured to be a possible replacement, although after showing his Gamme Rouge collection for the Moncler brand he issued a statement saying: "I dissociate myself from the rumors about any future projects with the House of Valentino."
Image: Valentino Couture
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