Yang Yang, Jacob Elordi, Jeff Satur And The Reinvigoration Of Menswear At Valentino Men's Spring Summer 2024

"We are so old, we have become young again"

By Gloria Tso - published 19 Jun 2023

There’s never been a better time to bank on menswear. (Some would argue the mensphere is even more exciting than womenswear these days, given the growing hype around men’s fashion weeks in recent seasons.) From K-pop stars to celebrity creative director appointments, all eyes are on the boys this year – a mantra which certainly rang true for Valentino and creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who returned to the menswear calendar this week for the first time in three years.

Tying past and present together at the Università degli Studi di Milano Statale, “Valentino: The Narratives” toys with the idea that menswear is the future. Citing passages from Hanya Yanagihara’s blockbuster novel, A Little Life, throughout the show and the collection (specially-designed copies of the book even served as show invitations), it became clear that for Piccioli, breaking from the co-ed format of his shows over the past few seasons was an opportunity for regenesis – much as the novel, in spite of its heavy descriptions of deeply traumatic issues, is as focused on finding the meaning of life as it is on the loss of it.

While the intimacy and sensitivity inherent in male relationships is a focal point of the novel, what is really masterful about Piccoli’s latest collection is that he reinterprets this notion of fragility in a fresh, nuanced way. In a day and age where menswear can often fall into either one of two categories - gender-fluid dressing or hypebeast-inspired streetwear - the designer chose neither, opting instead for a wardrobe made to encompass a whole spectrum of masculinity. Bright florals, softened blazers, and most prominently displayed throughout the collection, suits with shorts, paraded down the runway in an invigorating, youthful presentation. And true to the designer’s word, the show was staged in the presence of hundreds of local students on a regular school day, opening up the traditional format of a runway presentation to draw the voices of tomorrow into the conversation. (The Maison has also announced a donation to the university which will go towards supporting student scholarships.)

“We are so old, we have become young again,” read one blazer, a blatant callback to a quote from A Little Life. The words couldn’t ring more true for a luxury brand which is comfortable with consistently reinventing itself, staying one step ahead of the test of time rather than merely withstanding it. Scroll on to see all the looks from the Valentino Men’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection.