Everything You Need To Know About The Valentino Fall Winter 2025 Show
Just Alessandro Michele being his usual agent provocateur.
By Imran Jalal,
The Show Was Staged in a Restroom
A Lynchian moment in the show’s set design.
A red restroom, to be exact, drenched in eerie, dystopian vibes and bathed in seedy red light that channels the late David Lynch’s signature style. The symbolism was impossible to miss – especially considering the provocative backdrop for a house as classically refined as Valentino, which boldly upends traditional notions of luxury.
The press notes introduce the concept of a public toilet as a metaphor, blurring the lines between private and public, intimate and exposed. Enter “heterotopia” (a term creative director Alessandro Michele borrowed from philosopher Michel Foucault), a space that smashes norms and challenges the depth versus surface binary. Here, intimacy is redefined through the act of dressing and undressing, transforming the space into a subversive, politically charged performance that flips traditional ideas of identity and selfhood on their head.
The Show Was Titled Le Meta-Theatre Des Intimites
The collection featured 80 looks for both men and women.
Alessandro Michele’s designs have always been steeped in philosophy, and with Valentino’s 80-look co-ed Le Meta-Theatre Des Intimites collection, he takes his exploration of intimacy even further. The press release challenges the notion of an "authentic self" beyond societal masks, arguing that intimacy itself is an illusion. It suggests that even our deepest connections are, in essence, performances—acts within the ever-unfolding theatre of life.
The piece challenges traditional notions of identity and intimacy, positioning both as fluid and layered, existing in spaces that defy societal norms. As models emerged from toilet cubicles, pausing to check their reflections in mirrors, the boundary between personal and public life dissolved.
The Valentino Show’s Tracklist Was Nothing Short of a Royal Flush

Mixed by Wladimir Schall, the soundtrack kicked off with an intense, resonating flush that set the stage for a captivating auditory experience. This setlist seamlessly blends ambient, electronic, and cinematic elements, with a touch of dark, atmospheric vibes throughout. It traverses genres like downtempo, experimental, and darkwave, creating a haunting and immersive atmosphere.
Tracks such as Julia Kent's Tourbillon and Alianthus set a melancholic tone, while Ola Quetal's Game Over and Liquid Soul's Crazy People (Victor Ruiz Remix) bring a hypnotic, electronic edge. Lana Del Rey’s Gods & Monsters (HDNST Bootleg) anchors the set with its brooding, cinematic feel, making for a dynamic, emotionally charged soundtrack.
Chappell Roan Was Among the Front-Row Guests
Chappell Roan was a vision of baroque perfection.
Chappell Roan was hot-to-go for the Valentino front row. As a Gen Z pop icon and Grammy winner, she perfectly embodies Le Meta-Theatre Des Intimites. With her unapologetic approach to gender, sexuality, and self-expression, Chappell transforms personal truths into art, capturing Valentino’s ever-evolving vision of intimacy. Gen Z thrives on inclusivity and authenticity, and the newly-crowned 2025 Grammy Best New Artist serves it up in abundance.
Those Bodysuits Were Left in a State of Deshabille
Bodysuits were intentionally left flapping at the crotch for that perfect dose of risque allure.
Always the agent provocateur, Michele had models emerging from toilet cubicles in lace bodysuits, their crotches fluttering like scandalous invitations. The look was intentionally risque, suggesting a state of undressing and hinting at a fresh dalliance.
Michele’s Magpie Instincts Took Flight
Geek-chic sunglasses and jewelled necklaces are the ultimate power pair when it comes to accessorising.
An Alessandro Michele spectacle isn’t complete without a lavish display of maximalism, and Valentino served it in full force. His signature love for ornamentation shone through the accessories – thick chunky necklaces, geek-chic glasses, embellished sandals —all layered on with an opulent, more-is-more attitude.
There Was a Cat on the Runway
Feline beauty
If you swooned over the cat sweater and feline-fabulous bag spotted on brand ambassador and Thai star Jeff Satur, brace yourself for the next purr-fect evolution – an embellished cat dress stealing the show in Look 22.
One Look Was Serving Deja Vu
A flashback moment for Michele fans?
Michele devotees couldn’t miss the nod to his 2015 Gucci debut – specifically Look 34, where a male model donned a red bow blouse. This Valentino moment felt like a full-circle flex, proving that Michele’s signature flourishes never go out of style, they just find new runways to rule.
Valentino’s Golden Era Was in Full Swing
The show underscored how Michele’s fond memories of growing up in Italy, surrounded by glamour, are deeply embedded in his design signature.
Michele has never been shy about his love for Valentino Garavani’s early works, and it showed. Ruffles, bows, polka dots, tiers of tulle, and gleaming lamé all had their moment, painting a picture straight out of the house’s most decadent days. Growing up in Italy in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Michele recalled being surrounded by bare bodies. "Nothing was forbidden. It was pretty wild, in a very interesting way,” he told WWD. “Mediterranean culture is about being naked.”
The Looks
Look 1
Look 2
Look 3
Look 4
Look 5
Look 6
Look 7
Look 8
Look 9
Look 12
Look 13
Look 14
Look 16
Look 17
Look 18
Look 19
Look 20
Look 21
Look 22
Look 23
Look 25
Look 26
Look 27
Look 28
Look 29
Look 30
Look 31
Look 32
Look 33
Look 34
Look 35
Look 36
Look 37
Look 38
Look 39
Look 40
Look 41
Look 42
Look 43
Look 44
Look 45
Look 46
Look 47
Look 48
Look 49
Look 50
Look 51
Look 52
Look 53
Look 54
Look 55
Look 56
Look 57
Look 58
Look 59
Look 60
Look 61
Look 62
Look 63
Look 64
Look 65
Look 66
Look 67
Look 68
Look 69
Look 70
Look 71
Look 72
Look 73
Look 74
Look 75
Look 76
Look 77
Look 78
Look 79
Look 80