There's no on-boarding process for new brand ambassadors at Valentino. Alessandro Michele puts his muses right to work, including Dakota Johnson. On November 6, two weeks after her appointment, Johnson starred in her first Valentino campaign under Michele—proving the friends couldn't wait to work together again.
Now that the dust has settled on Spring 2026 collections, it's time to switch gears to the Cruise 2026 circuit. Valentino swapped a traditional runway show for a cinematic short film, plus corresponding close-ups. Michele cast Johnson as his leading lady in both mediums, first dressing her in a $9,900 little red dress. The off-the-shoulder mini featured two tiered cutouts, broken up by knotted sashes. Delicate drapery (all done by hand) added some dimension to the chiffon silk.
