Academy Award-nominated actress Florence Pugh is the new face of Valentino and shines bright as the Italian fashion house’s new “DI. VA,” which stands for “DI.fferent VA.lues,” according to the brand.
The Valentino Garavani Rockstud 2023 campaign was photographed by renowned fashion photographer Steven Meisel, who brought creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s designs to life thanks to a little help from Pugh. The actress posed with a wide array of the Valentino Garavani Rockstud handbags — all embellished with the house’s signature pyramid-shaped studs inspired by Roman palace doors — and put her inimitable acting skills on display.
Pugh expressed an array of emotions from anger to shock and pure joy throughout the photoshoot, inhabiting different characters for what Valentino calls, “an Encyclopedia of Feelings.”
“As you can see.. I’m pretty shocked and ecstatic to announce that my @maisonvalentino campaign is here,” the Don’t Worry Darling actress wrote on social media.
“Truly an honor to continue creating art with my family at Valentino. Working with talented people is one thing, but to work with talented people who are great friends feeds the soul! And this campaign truly did feed the soul,” wrote Pugh. “Thank you for letting me be me. @pppiccioli cheers and love and so much thanks to the past, the current and the future. I’m f***ing proud of this one.”
“❤️ Working with you feeds the soul! So proud❤️ grazie,” Piccioli commented on the post.
Piccioli shared a few words on his relationship with Pugh on Instagram. “It’s not just a face, it’s a real partnership based on trust and respect. I met Florence right after my couture show, and I was impressed by her intelligence and bravery, the way she stand for herself, the ability to handle any circumstances with such grace and acumen,” he wrote.
“Maybe it’s thanks to her job or maybe this is the reason why she chose to be an actress in the first place,” mused Piccioli. “What is actually relevant to me is that this young, fierce talented actress became a friend of mine and together we decided to embark in this campaign. Rockstud is a statement of its own and Florence interpretation of it is exactly what I had in mind to tell this story. ”
Pugh is known for her Valentino style statements, often choosing the house for her red carpet appearances and more. The star faced backlash after wearing a shockingly sheer pink Valentino gown to the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2022 runway presentation in Rome, then created another buzzy viral moment when she wore a purple Valentino set to the 2022 Venice Film Festival to promote Don’t Worry Darling. Pugh later wore a shimming sheer black off-the-shoulder gown from the house’s Fall/Winter 2022 Couture collection on the red carpet. There was also a gala screening of The Wonder at the BFI London Film Festival, the 2022 Fashion Awards and the 2023 Academy Awards, where Pugh made a statement in a look from the brand.
Now, according to the New York Times, on the first Monday in May, Pugh will attend her first Met Gala alongside Piccioli, wearing a design from the house. We can’t wait to see what she wears.
