Valentino presents its Cruise Holiday 2027 campaign, conceived by creative director Alessandro Michele and photographed by Liv Liberg in July 2026. The campaign captures the aftermath of an extravagant party, with shattered glasses, fallen chandeliers and scattered objects filling the rooms of an elaborate interior. Models occupy the space long after the festivities have ended, wearing pieces from the house’s Cruise 2027 collection. The images explore the uncertainty that follows a night of excess, when familiar surroundings begin to take on a different meaning.
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Freen Sarocha, a Valentino ambassador, appears in the campaign alongside George Anderson, Joe Bottomer, Khadim, Libby Taverner and Dario Tonin. Suzanne Koller handles styling, while See See See Studio oversees art direction. The photographs place elaborate clothing and accessories within rooms that still carry evidence of the previous evening.
Michele developed the concept around the moments that follow a party, when guests begin to recover from the intensity of the previous night. The campaign examines the vulnerability that emerges once the occasion ends and its elaborate arrangements lose their purpose. Clothing, furniture and personal gestures become part of this examination, revealing a more intimate perspective on the characters occupying the rooms.
The creative director also connects the concept to broader changes within the fashion industry. He considers how a system built around exclusivity, spectacle and exceptional experiences responds when its established values face new questions. The damaged interiors suggest the instability of an apparently secure order, while the people who remain inside continue to express individuality and desire.
Months after the July shoot, reports of damaged storefronts and clashes across several European cities gave the photographs an unexpected significance. The fictional destruction within the campaign began to resemble images of actual events. Michele acknowledged the coincidence and questioned whether publishing the photographs would be appropriate under the circumstances.
In an accompanying letter, the designer explained that he had considered abandoning the campaign. He eventually decided to release the images with an account of their conception, allowing viewers to understand the original intentions and the questions that emerged afterward.
Michele references philosopher Walter Benjamin and his concept of the dialectical image, which considers how encounters between the past and present can produce new interpretations. Through this reference, the designer examines how historical circumstances influence the meaning of photographs long after their creation. Events outside the fashion industry had changed the context surrounding the campaign, raising questions about the responsibilities of those who produce and distribute images.
The Valentino Cruise Holiday 2027 campaign presents the end of a party as a moment of transition. Michele uses the damaged interiors and exhausted guests to consider what happens when familiar structures begin to change. The photographs preserve the beauty of the clothing and the individuality of their subjects while acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding them.
