Fashion’s Favourite Studded Heel Is Back
The Valentino Garavani Rockstud pump returns in a sleeker, updated form.
There was a time in the 2010s when you couldn’t walk into any major city without spotting a pair of Valentino Rockstuds. The shoe was everywhere: on editors getting to shows at fashion week, celebrities on and off the red carpet, and basically haunting the Pinterest moodboards of an entire generation. Part of why the Rockstud became the archetypal shoe of the era was its uncanny balance between polish and attitude — its trademark pyramidal studs giving the wearer an instantly punkish edge.
Now, under Valentino’s current head honcho Alessandro Michele, the Rockstud is entering a new chapter.
Meet the updated Valentino Garavani Rockstud
The updated Valentino Garavani Rockstud that’s badder than ever
For Valentino’s pre-fall 2026 collection, the archival design has been reimagined with a sleeker, more fashion-forward vibe; the new Rockstud retains the familiar studs, but it now sports an elongated vamp that ends in a square, metal-shod tip. Consider her the bad-ass cousin to the original.
The new Rockstud pumps are all for all occasions and girlies, including the office siren.
Available in both 40mm and 100mm heel heights, she comes in a variety of neutral hues like blush pink and black, but this time, there are also sky blue and apple green iterations that look set to be catnip for the fashion crowd. The classic red insoles remain too, adding a final flash of unmistakable Valentino glamour.
Strappy girlies, Valentino has got you covered too.
There are other options within the new Rockstud family too, including strappy sandals adorned with the maison’s signature studs in varying sizes. Fun fact: the studs were originally inspired by the textured, faceted surfaces found on the historic buildings of Valentino’s home city of Rome. And like the remarkable endurance of this ancient Italian city, the Rockstud became that rare shoe that rose beyond cyclical trends to define an entire era, not just a season.
What did we say about balancing prettiness and edge?
And honestly? We’re here for its return. At a moment when fashion is increasingly drawn to the emotional pull of archival icons, the return of the Valentino Garavani Rockstud feels especially timely.
After all, there are precious few shoes that can claim to have resonated equally with both industry insiders and the wider culture alike — and even fewer still manage to return feeling sharper than ever.
Welcome back.
Pin-sharp.
Here, a closer look at the Valentino Garavani Rockstud models that have just hit stores:
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 100mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 100mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 100mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 100mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 100mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 40mm
Valentino Garavani Rockstud leather pumps 40mm
STYLING TOK WEI LUN PHOTOGRAPY ATHIRAH ANNISSA HAIR SASA MAKEUP KEITH BRYANT LEE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PANG JIA WEI ALL CLOTHES, BAGS & SHOES VALENTINO
In collaboration with Valentino