Maison Valentino presents its Pre-Fall 2026 campaign under the direction of Alessandro Michele, with imagery captured by Johnny Dufort. The project unfolds inside the palazzo of Cy Twombly in Bassano in Teverina, a residence that shaped decades of the artist’s work. Model Apolline Rocco Fohrer and musician Sombr appear throughout the campaign, moving through a space marked by history where architecture and memory remain present in every room.
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Cy Twombly acquired the palazzo in 1975 after guidance from art collector Giorgio Franchetti. He stepped away from city life and used the residence as a private setting for work and reflection. The limestone structure opened only to a close circle of collaborators, and several of his key works developed within these walls.
The site now houses the Iris Foundation, which supports cultural initiatives. Twombly’s presence remains embedded in the architecture and continues to shape the atmosphere of the space.
The campaign draws from a visual reference that connects to the house’s history. In 1968, photographer Henry Clarke shot Valentino Garavani’s white collection for Vogue inside Twombly’s Roman apartment, shared with Tatiana Franchetti. That moment established a link between the maison and the artist. The current campaign returns to another Twombly residence, using the setting to extend that connection.
Discover More from the Campaign Featuring Sombr on MMSCENE
The 1968 photographs placed figures within structured compositions that aligned closely with architecture. The new campaign moves away from that order. Hair, gaze, and fabric disrupt the space, introducing instability. Color breaks the unity of the rooms, and movement reshapes how the body interacts with its surroundings. Michele frames Valentino as a site where past and present operate together. The campaign uses Twombly’s palazzo to express this idea through architecture, image, and motion.
