Valentino Go For Rocker Chic With Their A/W 23 Campaign

Kaia Gerber - daughter of supermodel royalty Cindy Crawford - may have a punk sensibility about her, but it's also not news to many that she took ballet classes throughout her youth. Why is this relevant? Well, the latest Valentino campaign, shot by Steven Meisel not only features the young model but frames her rocking a rebellious-chic look, in which a seductive tie-dress is paired with heavy rocker boots for a 'Valentino BlackTie' occasion.

A master of stirring up controversy, Meisel is known for his rather ostentatious portfolio of work that draws on political and social themes, wickedly using them with an intent to shock conservative readers of fashion magazines again and again. For this campaign, chaos is unleashed in the opulent interiors of the luxurious Oheka Castle, capturing Kaia Gerber, who is cladded head-to-toe in Valentino A/W 23, as she leans on tables and reclines on velvet sofas. This isn't all, though. She's sporting what is traditionally a men's accessory: the black tie.

Ties for men? That's no longer the case at Valentino, as creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli believes clothing should not be limited to gender. This philosophy is reflected in his A/W 23 collection, where he challenges the traditional symbol of masculine power - the black tie - by combining it with sheer dresses, chiffon blouses, sequins, and feathers. He reinvents the notion of a uniform to express one's individuality and breaks free from the constraints of wardrobe rules. Here, the tie is creatively transformed as a tool for crafting new silhouettes. By bringing new meanings to a classic symbol of elegance and power, the Valentino BlackTie campaign breaks boundaries rooted in tradition, establishing new ones in place.