FASHION

Valentino: A Legacy of Beauty,

Reborn in Poetry

New It-Bag Model, the “Vain Bag”, Unveiled

June 2025

Courtesy of Maison Valentino

For over six decades, Valentino has epitomised glamour, craftsmanship, and an elegance that touches the heart. Founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani in Rome, alongside his partner Giancarlo Giammetti, the house’s story began in a small atelier on the Via Condotti. Yet, as early as 1962, Valentino celebrated its breakthrough in Florence, then regarded as Italy’s fashion capital, and in 1967, its “No Colour” collection – exclusively in white, beige, and ivory – made global headlines. The colour red, known as “Valentino Rosso”, became its hallmark. Under the stewardship of Garavani and Giammetti, Valentino rose to a celebrity brand, gracing red carpets worldwide.

“PP Pink”

Under Pierpaolo Piccioli, who became creative director in 2016 following Maria Grazia Chiuri’s departure to Dior, the house experienced a renaissance. Piccioli’s collections were more than fashion – they were artistic manifestos. Already legendary is his “PP Pink”, created in 2022 in collaboration with Pantone, a bold evolution of Valentino Rosso.

Like a Love Poem

His departure struck us deeply, yet the sorrow was fleeting. With Alessandro Michele, who assumed creative direction in April 2024, a sense of lightness returned. Michele, renowned for his Gucci enchantment, brings a romanticism to Valentino that feels like a love poem. His Resort 2025 collection and debut for Spring/Summer 2025 at Paris Fashion Week showcased opulent ruffles, polka dots, and vintage-inspired splendour.

Finally a new It-bag

At the heart of the latest campaign is the Valentino Garavani Vain Bag. Designed by Michele and photographed by Sharna Osborne, the bag stands in contrast to his otherwise lavish aesthetic. Available in two variants – leather or a bohemian-style fabric with embroidery – it embodies a refined simplicity. Why this restraint? Perhaps it lies in Michele’s reverence for Valentino’s archive, where simplicity and sophistication go hand in hand. It is precisely this simplicity that gives it the potential to become a new it-bag.

Valentino, now part of the Valentino Fashion Group and owned by Mayhoola for Investments since 2012, remains rooted in Rome, where the creative direction, under CEO Jacopo Venturini, resides in the Palazzo Gabrielli-Mignanelli. The group generated revenues of 1.35 billion euros in 2024 and maintains boutiques in over 25 countries.

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