Valentino celebrates circularity with vintage storefront takeover series

April 21, 2023

Born of an effort to push luxury shoppers toward refurbishing previous wear, a set of special displays installed across select independent vintage shops is now live. Image courtesy of Valentino

By Amirah Keaton

Italian fashion label Valentino is opting for secondhand designs and immersive vintage storefronts as one of the house’s primary circular programs enters its sophomore year.

Born of an effort to push luxury shoppers toward refurbishing previous wear, a set of special displays installed across select independent shops has arrived. Arriving shortly after the brand’s inaugural execution, which saw the strategic expansion of Valentino Vintage to a total of seven locations worldwide, an iterative update builds on this foundational initiative.

Take two
Established in 2021, what began as a simple concept — the maison’s upcycling initiative aims to ensure the integrity of historic garments for future use — has since grown in scope from four to seven partners worldwide. A new campaign takes yet another leap.

Valentino Vintage is celebrating the spread of a sustainable footprint, as the brand takes stock of a presence in several cities including Milan, Paris, London, Los Angeles, New York, Seoul, and Tokyo.

The brand has now launched a transformative global takeover involving branded interior touches and a curated collection of past creations. Simultaneously stood up, a set of custom vintage shop transformations are live.

The beauty of past creations is put on display for #ValentinoVintage

At New York Vintage, the circularity of timeless design is on full view, featuring statement pieces from throughout the years.

Find out more at https://t.co/XnWRYmWiwW
— Valentino (@MaisonValentino) April 19, 2023

Spread across disparate corners of the resale market, each landing place was chosen for the possession of a distinctive identity and its unique curated collection, according to the brand.

A lucky number of owners, as follows, have been integrated: Madame Pauline in Milan; The Plaisir Palace in Paris; Rellik in London; Recess in Los Angeles; The Vintage Dress in Tokyo; Janemarch Maison in Seoul; New York Vintage in New York City.

In Tokyo, The Vintage Dress is transformed into a Valentino archive displaying a curated collection of #ValentinoVintage pieces.
Discover the full story, including the Maison’s efforts to spark future creativity through archival fashion with 1 Granary.
— Valentino (@MaisonValentino) April 20, 2023

The distribution reflects a decisive merchandising strategy, one that prioritizes a more personal, boutique approach to secondhand shopping, in a move reminiscent of the exercise’s essence.

Vintage visits
A few fresh elements define the second edition of Valentino Vintage.

While this year’s returning locations include Los Angeles’ Recess, Tokyo’s The Vintage Dress, Milan’s Madame Pauline and New York City’s New York Vintage, Valentino’s three additions involve Rellik in London, Janemarch Maison in Seoul and Plaisir Palace in Paris.

Merchandising aside, Valentino has upped the maximum number of garments that can exchange hands from just one to three.

In alignment with the timing of its latest execution, shoppers are invited to participate in the brand’s circular program by bringing the trio of verifiably authentic, gently worn Valentino clothing to a bricks-and-mortar partner location beginning in April (see story).

#ValentinoVintage, the Maison’s upcycling initiative bringing historic garments into the contemporary, has landed at 7 vintage stores.
At Madame Pauline in Milan, storied pieces tell a story of craftsmanship and imagination. Find the store nearest you at https://t.co/XnWRYmWiwW
— Valentino (@MaisonValentino) April 19, 2023

Those interested in submitting via the Valentino Vintage website will be prompted to simply submit images of clothing, before proceeding with the “phygital” review process.

A novel partnership with London-based education and development platform 1 Granary rounds out updates.

A shared dedication to fostering young designers has yielded an international creative partnership that grants the next generation of talents access to archival fashion resources via Valentino Vintage donations.

In addition to opening the project’s scope to 1 Granary’s online community, the institutions associated to the giving back program sponsored by Valentino Vintage include IED in Milan; Institut Français de la Mode in Paris; Central Saint Martins in London; Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles; Coconogacco in Tokyo; ESMOD in Seoul; and Parsons School of Design in New York (see story).

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Valentino celebrates circularity with vintage storefront takeover series

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