Maison Valentino, in collaboration with QatarCreates and Qatar Museums, is presenting ‘Forever – Valentino’, a major exhibition paying tribute to the Maison's founder, Valentino Garavani, and its ongoing heritage of exceptional haute couture, at M7 in Msheireb Downtown, Doha, the epicenter of design and innovation, from October 28, 2022 to April 1, 2023.


Valentino's largest exhibition to date, ‘Forever – Valentino’, coinciding with Valentino Garavani's 90th birthday and the launch of the Fall/Winter 2022-23 Haute Couture collection, is a sweeping panorama of the Maison's history, incorporating a scenography evocative of Rome, the Eternal City, Valentino's home since its founding in 1959.

"The world's attention is focused on Doha by hosting this incredible exhibition during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The exhibition will invite audiences from Qatar and around the world to explore fashion, culture and history. We are thrilled to welcome Maison Valentino's artistic vision, inspired by its heartfelt ties with Rome and the history of this iconic fashion house. We hope that this exhibition will inspire even more leading figures in fashion, culture, art and entertainment to visit Qatar in the future."

Sheikha Al-Mayassa, Chairperson

"It was a pleasant surprise for me to be involved in this fashion exhibition, and it is an absolute pleasure to be showcasing Maison Valentino's work alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli, Alexander Fury and all the other people who have contributed to making this exhibition possible. Working in Doha is always special. It is a place where artists' dreams come true, and being involved in this show is a dream, a 'capriccio', a fantasy that can perhaps only be fulfilled in Doha."

Massimiliano Gioni

"Maison Valentino, led by Pierpaolo Piccioli, one of the greatest designers of our time, is one of the most important fashion houses in the world. Massimiliano Gioni, Pierpaolo Piccioli and the Maison "I am honored to have been involved in organizing this exhibition, alongside the Valentino team, with the momentous task of transporting Valentino creations and their context from Rome to Doha. Valentino Garavani's legacy, Valentino, is about celebrating beauty from all walks of life, all periods and all forms. To me, that noble, never-ending quest and celebration of beauty for a better world is Forever Valentino."

Alexander Fury

Valentino Creative Directed by Pierpaolo Piccioli and curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Alexander Fury
With more than 200 Valentino haute couture and ready-to-wear looks worn by La Rosa mannequins, alongside accessories and fashion objects, in an immersive scenography, ‘Forever – Valentino’ celebrates Valentino's legendary and masterful work, weaving together richly textured images of the city of Rome with memories and treasured finds from the House's 60-year history, including pieces designed for Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy and, more recently, Zendaya.


Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director of the New Museum in New York, and fashion critic and author Alexander Fury, alongside Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli, the exhibition will also feature ensembles from the private collection of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, a long-time Valentino client.


The exhibition will run from 28 October 2022 to 1 April 2023 at Galleries 1 and 2, M7, Msheireb Downtown, Doha. Tickets are available for purchase on the Qatar Creates website. One Pass holders receive a special discount.


*One Pass: Launched as an arts and culture gateway for all residents and visitors, One Pass provides access to over 300 events and experiences, including arts and culture exhibitions, museums, live events, festivals, theatre and musicals, during November and December 2022. www.qacreates.com


About the Curator
MASSIMILIANO GIONI
Massimiliano Gioni is an Italian curator and contemporary art critic based in New York. Edris Neeson is Artistic Director at the New Museum, New York.

At the New Museum, Gioni has curated numerous exhibitions, including solo shows by John Akomfrau, Ed Atkins, Linda Benglis, Tacita Dean, Nicole Eisenman, Urs Fischer, Hans Haacke, Camille Henrot, Carsten Fuller, Khalil Joseph, Ragnar Kjartansson, Sarah Lucas, Gustav Mezger, Marta Minuhin, Chris Ofili, Raymond Pettibon, Carol Rama, Faith Ringgold, Pipilotti Rist, Henri Sala, Peter Saul, Nari Ward, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and Lynette Yiadam-Boakye. Gioni has presented large-scale group exhibitions including After Nature (2008), Ostalgia (2011), Here and Elsewhere (2014), The Keeper (2016), and Grief and Grievance: Art and Mourning in America (2021).

Gioni has also been involved in international exhibitions including The Warmth of Other Suns at the Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C., 2019), The Restless Earth at the Nicola Trussardi Foundation (Milan, Triennale 2017), The Great Mother (Palazzo Reale, Expo Milano 2015), the 10th Gwangju Biennale (2010), the New Museum Triennale (2009), the Berlin Biennale (2206), and Manifesta 5 (2004). He was the artistic director of the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013, and in 2022 he curated the major solo exhibition "Jeff Koons: Lost in America" at the Qatar Museum Gallery Al Riwaq in Doha.


ALEXANDER FURY
Alexander Fury is a fashion journalist, author, and critic. He is also the fashion director of AnOther magazine and the men's critic for the Financial Times. From 2013 to 2016, Fury was the fashion editor of The Independent and The Independent on Sunday, and the chief fashion correspondent for T: The New York Times Style (2016-2018). In 2018, Fury received an honorary degree in letters from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. He has contributed to a variety of publications, including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, System, and Document Journal.
Fury has published monographs charting the work of fashion designers and houses including Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, and Chanel, and has contributed to the exhibition catalogues Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams (Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris), Savage Beauty (Victoria & Albert Museum, London), Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! (Somerset House, London), and Claude Parent: Dessiner la Mode and Richard Wentworth à la Maison Alaïa (Azzedine Alaïa Galerie, Paris). In 2018, Alexander Fury served as writer for Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier (Design Museum, London), the first British retrospective of the designer's work.


About Qatari Museums (QM)
Qatar Museums is the country's leading arts and culture institution, offering inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations and programs. Qatar Museums preserves, restores and enhances Qatar's cultural and historic sites, sharing the arts and culture of Qatar and the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of its citizens, residents and visitors.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Museums has positioned Qatar as the Middle East's hub for arts, culture and education. Qatar Museums is integral to the goals of building an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation; inspiring new thinking and fostering cultural dialogue; educating and promoting environmental stewardship and sustainable practices; and increasing the influence of the people of Qatar. Since its founding in 2005, Qatar Museums has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art, MIA Park, Mathaf - Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar National Museum, Qatar Museum Gallery Al Riwaq, Qatar Museum Gallery Katara, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and the currently under construction Dadu Children's Museum.

Through its newly created Creative Hub, Qatar Museums is launching and supporting a variety of projects that foster artistic talent while creating opportunities to build a strong, sustainable cultural infrastructure, including the Fire Station Artist-in-Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, and the M7 Creative Hub for Innovation, Fashion, and Design. Fueling everything Qatar Museums does is a commitment to establishing authentic connections with Qatar and its heritage, an unwavering commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through creativity.


About M7
M7 is Qatar's hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion and design. Founded by Qatar Museums under the leadership of its Chairperson, Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, M7 is committed to accelerating the growth of Qatar's creative economy by providing mentorship and opportunities for designers to build businesses at home and abroad, while supporting the fashion and design industries in playing their role in growing a circular ecosystem in Qatar. M7's platform includes comprehensive incubation and mentorship programs, global exhibitions, pop-ups, and public discussions. Located in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, M7 is a creative space in collaboration with Resident Partners, Cutting Studio, Studio 7, Scale 7, From, Workington and Profiles.

About Qatar Creates
Qatar Creates supports and promotes cultural activities in Qatar. Working with Qatar's museums, film, fashion, hospitality, heritage, performing arts and private sectors, the Qatar Creates platform amplifies the impact of Qatar's creative industries by connecting audiences directly with events.


#ForeverValentino
@maisonvalentino