Under the creative direction of Alessandro Michele, Valentino’s pre-fall 2026 campaign folds historical reverence and rockstar cool into a single frame. The advertisement brings indie-rock singer and brand ambassador Sombr into focus. The partnership gained traction at the 2026 Grammys, where the “12 to 12” singer wore a custom Valentino mirror-sequin outfit that became one of the night’s most-talked-about looks.
Valentino Pre-Fall 2026 Campaign
Photographer Johnny Dufort captured the campaign inside Cy Twombly’s palazzo in Bassano in Teverina. The location recalls a 1968 Vogue shoot where Henry Clarke photographed Valentino Garavani’s “White Collection” in the artist’s Roman apartment, rooting this new chapter in the Maison’s artistic heritage.
Sombr brings a rockstar energy to the Valentino’s eclectic pieces. Styled by Jonathan Kaye, the singer trades the high-octane shimmer of the Grammy stage for something more intimate and decadent, notably a plush velvet robe accented with golden sequin pockets.
Dufort frames Sombr with elusive gazes and shifted silhouettes against the ancient sculptures of Twombly’s former studio. The campaign feels like a living trace of the past, the velvets and tailoring of a modern Valentino disrupting the stillness of Twombly’s palazzo.
