Valentino's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, presented in Paris in October 2025, was an attempt to revisit the power of "light" in fashion, as artistic director Alessandro Michele demonstrated on his runway.
Courtesy of Valentino
This season's theme is "fireflies," a symbol of hope and imagination that endure even in the deepest darkness. Their light, suddenly emerging from the silence, breathes new life into the history of the Valentino name.
Courtesy of Valentino
The Fable of the Firefly—Searching for the Lost Light
The inspiration for this collection came from the 1975 essay "The Disappearance of the Firefly" (L'articolo delle lucciole) by Italian poet and film director Pier Paolo Pasolini.
In it, Pasolini describes the disappearance of "fireflies, or hope," as society becomes more homogenized. Against the backdrop of post-war Italy's darkness, he likens the disappearance of this small light to the loss of human sensitivity.
Courtesy of Valentino
Alessandro Michele brings this fable back to the present day, saying, "People can no longer distinguish the smallest traces of light." In a world where people have unconsciously become accustomed to darkness, regaining the "power of sight" is his mission through fashion, and his act of lighting up people's hearts through Valentino.
Courtesy of Valentino
Fashion Illuminated—A Resonance of Craftsmanship and Poetry
As the runway fell silent, a soft light filled the darkness. Sequins and embroidery on sheer chiffon, organza, and tulle radiated a delicate glow reminiscent of the twinkling of fireflies. The color palette evoked the gradations of nature: powdery beige, hazy blue, mossy green, and the iconic white. These colors simultaneously spoke of the fragility and strength of life, and the clothes themselves seemed to breathe.
Courtesy of Valentino
The details are a testament to the handiwork of the artisans behind Valentino Haute Couture. Delicate lace, intricate embroidery, and softly reflective embellishments transcend mere design, almost like "traces of prayer." While maintaining a deep respect for the archives, Michele's signature spirit of reinvention is evident everywhere. Antique details are transformed into contemporary forms, striking a balance that resonates between romanticism and avant-garde. The result is a poetic world where tradition and innovation, reality and fantasy intersect.
Courtesy of Valentino
Regenerating Hope—Regaining the "Power of Vision"
Michele says:
This is nothing other than fashion's other role, hidden beneath its glamour: to awaken the "power to feel, to think, and to reexamine the world." Believing in hope, faint but certain, like the light of a firefly, and keeping it in people's hearts. This sentiment quietly permeates the entire collection.
Courtesy of Valentino
What Alessandro Michele envisioned was not simply the beauty of clothing, but a hymn to the imagination and kindness of human beings. And it is these small sparks of light that will serve as guideposts illuminating the next era of Valentino.
Courtesy of Valentino
Courtesy of Valentino
Courtesy of Valentino
Courtesy of Valentino
For inquiries:
Valentino Information Desk
tel. 03-6384-3512
Courtesy of ValentinoThis season's theme is "fireflies," a symbol of hope and imagination that endure even in the deepest darkness. Their light, suddenly emerging from the silence, breathes new life into the history of the Valentino name.
Courtesy of ValentinoThe Fable of the Firefly—Searching for the Lost Light
The inspiration for this collection came from the 1975 essay "The Disappearance of the Firefly" (L'articolo delle lucciole) by Italian poet and film director Pier Paolo Pasolini.
In it, Pasolini describes the disappearance of "fireflies, or hope," as society becomes more homogenized. Against the backdrop of post-war Italy's darkness, he likens the disappearance of this small light to the loss of human sensitivity.
Courtesy of ValentinoAlessandro Michele brings this fable back to the present day, saying, "People can no longer distinguish the smallest traces of light." In a world where people have unconsciously become accustomed to darkness, regaining the "power of sight" is his mission through fashion, and his act of lighting up people's hearts through Valentino.
Courtesy of ValentinoFashion Illuminated—A Resonance of Craftsmanship and Poetry
As the runway fell silent, a soft light filled the darkness. Sequins and embroidery on sheer chiffon, organza, and tulle radiated a delicate glow reminiscent of the twinkling of fireflies. The color palette evoked the gradations of nature: powdery beige, hazy blue, mossy green, and the iconic white. These colors simultaneously spoke of the fragility and strength of life, and the clothes themselves seemed to breathe.
Courtesy of ValentinoThe details are a testament to the handiwork of the artisans behind Valentino Haute Couture. Delicate lace, intricate embroidery, and softly reflective embellishments transcend mere design, almost like "traces of prayer." While maintaining a deep respect for the archives, Michele's signature spirit of reinvention is evident everywhere. Antique details are transformed into contemporary forms, striking a balance that resonates between romanticism and avant-garde. The result is a poetic world where tradition and innovation, reality and fantasy intersect.
Courtesy of ValentinoRegenerating Hope—Regaining the "Power of Vision"
Michele says:
"Fashion is a light that illuminates small glimpses of the future. It's a way to not fear the darkness, but to gaze upon the hidden fragments of beauty within."
This is nothing other than fashion's other role, hidden beneath its glamour: to awaken the "power to feel, to think, and to reexamine the world." Believing in hope, faint but certain, like the light of a firefly, and keeping it in people's hearts. This sentiment quietly permeates the entire collection.
Courtesy of ValentinoWhat Alessandro Michele envisioned was not simply the beauty of clothing, but a hymn to the imagination and kindness of human beings. And it is these small sparks of light that will serve as guideposts illuminating the next era of Valentino.
Courtesy of ValentinoCourtesy of ValentinoCourtesy of ValentinoCourtesy of ValentinoFor inquiries:
Valentino Information Desk
tel. 03-6384-3512
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