It’s the day after Valentino’s incredible fall/winter 2022 haute couture show. Having taken place at Rome’s famous Spanish Steps, it was one of Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s most extravagant presentations for a House that he’s been working with for over 23 years. After an exquisite Japanese lunch at Zuma, I’m walking down Via dei Condotti, to the Valentino headquarters located not too far away, for my interview with Piccioli.
The 40-degree summer heat is sweltering and the street is completely packed with gela-to-consuming tourists. The mile-long runway from the night before—which cascaded down the Spanish Steps onto a street lined with rows of seats for guests—has already been dismantled, the barricades broken down, so that everyone is able to take their
