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Everything is coming up Rockstud. Valentino Garavani Rockstud, that is. In 2010, Maison Valentino had a eureka moment. They proverbially struck gold with the unveiling of the brand’s first-ever footwear line. From this gilded well was spurred the Italian luxuriates’ eternal sigil—the Valentino Garavani Rockstud. A symbol of enduring innovation, rebellious romance and timeless beauty.
Fronting a pair of pointed-toe strappy stilettos, this gilded edificial motif hailed a new era for the Maison, with the Valentino Garavani Rockstud pumps stomping down the runway of the Fall/Winter 2011 collection and cementing the style as one of the most impactful creations of the 21st Century. While the Valentino Garavani Rockstud silhouette started as a fixture on the Maison’s signature T-strap heel sandals, a slingback silhouette sported by anyone who is anyone, the celebrated shoes paved the way for new iterations of the durable stud, with the Valentino Garavani Rockstud soon popping up on leather accessories not too soon after. As the brand themselves say about the enduring appeal: “I mean, it’s Rockstud”.
On a more anatomical level, it’s clear that the Rockstud’s perennial enviability is because it’s become synonymous with the aristo-punk attitude of the Maison. An outlook that is exhibited in every fibre of the brand’s fabric.
Rockstud draws inspiration from the ancient “bugnato”—a type of uncarved stone that would later be fashioned into diamond points—that wrapped palatial Roman palazzos.
This blending of Italian tradition with a contemporary vision is intrinsic to the brand’s design methodology, further proving why this coveted accessory has persisted alongside the rich vibrant shade of Rosso Valentino as a symbol of the Italian Maison’s flair.
Now, over 13 years since the silhouette ushered the classically glamorous brand into a mode slightly more spirited and youthful in tonality, the Valentino Garavani Rockstud has proved why its gritty exterior has the trappings of a modern-day icon. Earlier in the year, the sensually refined silhouette lent its signature studded façade to Valentino’s Fall 2023 campaign, appearing alongside the campaign’s protagonist, the certified Di.Va Florence Pugh.
The famed Rockstud made its return to Valentino billboards and glossy magazine advertisements for the first time in 2016. However, here, alongside the Academy-Award nominee and in front of Steven Meisel’s revered lens, the Valentino Garavani Rockstud once again makes apparent that the style’s endurance is akin to the longevity of Maison Valentino itself. The style is synonymous with the brand, in turn offering a reflection of the Maison’s relevance: a brand steeped in vibrant modernity.
In the new Rockstud campaign, creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli continues Valentino’s unwavering connection with Hollywood by pairing this contemporary style with one of the most prolific emerging actresses. Both Pugh and the Valentino Garavani Rockstud flex their versatility, providing a rolodex of multifaceted emotions and modes for the style to be experienced.
From the exuberant jubilation of owning your own Valentino Garavani Rockstud to the euphoric infatuation you feel once you’re entirely besotted with your accessory, Pugh embodies both the strength and the softness of a young icon that’s already lived a thousand lifetimes.
In a world where the fashion cycle moves at an exponential pace, the long reign of the Valentino Garavani Rockstud proves that the duality between the style’s tough appearance and feminine details is a contrast continuously sought after.
Considering Valentino prides itself on innovation, the brand has pushed the boundaries of what the Rockstud can represent, or more literally adorn, with the release of a melange of new styles that coincide with the campaign’s release. These pieces include a new variation of the Valentino Garavani signature pumps with tone-on-tone studs, a smooth leather Valentino Garavani Rockstud23 shoulder bag, and satin ballet slippers.
Despite the nuances in these styles, each design is a story of excellence, heritage and a bold twist on tradition. The dialogue here invokes the narrative of a fabled fashion icon composed of fine materials and defiant accents. A mode that positions the style as the perennial wardrobe staple. Valentino has also provided a definitive excuse to indulge in this house icon: “I mean, it’s Rockstud”. Four words and five syllables symbolise the absoluteness of this never-ending aesthetic, with the unforgettable slogan providing an air-tight rationale for indulging in your Rockstud fantasies.
With Rockstud, you can be a rockstar in your own right, parading everywhere from the Spanish Steps à la Valentino’s ‘The Beginning’ Fall/Winter 2022/23 Haute Couture collection to the streets of New York where the Rockstud campaign emblazoned with this unforgettable slogan proudly hangs. With the Rockstud, a high-octane world of imagination and style can be conjured with the style holding a reflection of the individualistic proclivities and non-conformist attitude of those who wear them. With this new saying lingering on the tips of our tongues, the Maison will make Di.Va’s of us all.
Below, GRAZIA’s editors reveal their favourite Valentino Garavani Rockstud pieces that has us committing the phrase, “I mean, it’s Rockstud” to memory.
VALEntino Garavani ROCKSTUD SATIN BALLERINA WITH CRYSTALS. Shop NOw.
While ballet flats may be synonymous with a softer, feminine style, this Valentino Garavani Rockstud variation offers a uniquely bold take on this demure look. Mixing a radical spirit with bourgeois elegance, the Valentino Garavani Rockstud ballerina slipper boasts contrasting studs alongside the upper leather finish, crystal appliqué and cross ankle straps, showcasing Maison Valentino’s pioneering ethos and boundary-defining sensibility.
VALENTINO GARAVANI ROCKSTUD ANKLE STRAP PATENT-LEATHER PUMP, SHop now.
The original Rockstud style that started it all. The Valentino Garavani slingback meets T-strap stiletto has received a new season makeover, coated in a slick metallic silver. These discotheque approved pieces prove that the Rockstud is more than a style, it’s a way of life.
VALENTINO GARAVANI SMALL ROCKSTUD23 SMOOTH LEATHER SHOULDER BAG. SHOP NOW.
Maison Valentino’s latest leather accessory offering is the sleek Valentino Garavani Rockstud23 shoulder bag. Made from a soft-as-butter smooth leather and featuring a platinum finish, the boxy bag’s exterior is punctuated with tone-on-tone studs and an iconic close fixture. This style can be hung neatly from your shoulder, or worn cross-body thanks to the bag’s adjustable straps. Our favourite? The high-shine glossy Pink PP variation inspired by the brand’s Pink PP Fall/Winter 2022 collection.
Shop Valentino Garavani Rockstud at Valentio flagship Sydney store or Melbourne boutique at Chadstone and explore “I Mean, It’s Rockstud” campaign here.
