Ciao, Roma!
Today, Valentino designer Alessandro Michele presented his new fall 2026 collectsion at the 17th-century Palazzo Barberini in Rome; it was the first time a catwalk has ever been staged there. The presentation marked the brand’s first ready-to-wear show since the passing of Valentino Garavani earlier this year, so suitably, the show served as a special homage to the incredible legacy that he leaves behind.
A star-studded front row came out for the affair, too, including celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Colman Domingo, Myha’la, Charles Melton, and Tyla. Paltrow’s presence at the show was especially fitting, given she had a longstanding close friendship with the late Mr. Valentino, who dressed her for many red carpet appearances over the years. Whether she was attending the Met Gala as his guest or walking the step-and-repeat in his glamorous gowns at her many splashy Hollywood premieres, their relationship spanned well over two decades.
Paltrow wore a lime-green, polka-dotted frock from Michele’s Valentino pre-fall collectsion. She spoke with Vogue about her dear friend.
Hi Gwyneth. How does it feel to be in Rome for the new Valentino show?
Gwyneth Paltrow: I’m feeling a mix of bittersweetness and excitement. I wasn’t able to be there for Valentino’s funeral [in January], I was filming something, so I’m looking forward to paying tribute to him and his life’s work. I think it will be emotional, and really a beautiful. I’m happy to be a part of it.
What were some of your favorite things about the late Mr. Valentino?
It was inspiring to be around somebody that lived the way he did: Beauty was so infused in everything he touched. His attention to detail—the table settings, the butlers, the things that none of us can afford—he lived like that, in a castle outside of Paris with a moat around it. He would sit down to lunch and he would say, “This is queen so-and-so’s china from Russia.”
Some people really value history for how culture and laws were shaped, but he valued it for the beauty that was created. It was important to him to know who had owned things before him, even if it was just a silver [dish] that he used to put candies on the table. I loved having a friend where you went over and sat up a little straighter.
But then he was so naughty, and he had such a great laugh. He loved Hollywood stories, and would love hearing gossip. He thought Jennifer Lopez was the most beautiful woman alive. He would say, “She’s beautiful—but not like Jennifer Lopez.” And he would always be on me for my physical appearance—somewhere in between a fatherly way and a designer way. Like, “Did you gain three kilos? Why aren’t you wearing mascara? Would it kill you to put a little swipe of lipstick on?”
Do you remember the first time you met?
I don’t, but I do remember the time we met where we then became friends. I was doing a play in London in 2002. He and [his business partner] Giancarlo [Giammetti] came, and they said, “Why don’t you let us have a dinner for you?” They had this lovely dinner for me, which was so sweet. It was all of these aristos and HRHs. I was like, “Oh, what world am I stepping into here?” I was fascinated by him. He had this incredible elegance in the way that he carried himself—but then he really was so naughty. My favorite combination is regal-ness and naughtiness.
You went to quite a few events together, whether it was the Met Gala or a splashy premiere at Cannes. Do you have any stories from those times?
It was always a lot of fun to go with him. He was very old-fashioned: He always wanted a woman on his arm. He had this great mix of always being thrilled, but also slightly snobby—about the food, decor, or crowd. But he was never mean. You could just see it in these little expressions that he would make. It was so funny.
You’ve worn so many amazing Valentino designs on the red carpet. I was wondering what it was about his dresses that was such a fit for your style?
As the ’90s came to a close—and we moved into a more feminine, less minimal aesthetic—there was something about his clothing that really spoke to me. The femininity was about the woman. Yes, there would be ruching or a puffed sleeve or a feather, but it never overtook the woman. During that era, he was making things that were so beautiful. He was never, like, the king of cool—in fact, he hated that. He hated avant-garde clothing that wasn’t flattering. He hated weird proportions for the sake of fashion. I loved that—whether it was in or out—he treated the elegance of a woman with reverence. He always wanted to bring the best out of the female form.
Did he ever push you outside of your comfort zone?
I remember him pushing me to wear red, and I never have liked myself in red. He said, “You have to wear red.” It’s funny, because I thought of him during the costume fittings for Marty Supreme. In the film, I have to wear this big red dress, and I was fighting with the director Josh about it. I was like, “I don’t like red.’ And he was like, “It’s red! I see red!” I was thinking, “Oh, Valentino’s going to be so happy that I’m in red.”
I wanted to ask you about a few personal favorite Valentino looks. One I always think about is your pink Valentino gown for the 2013 Met Gala, which was punk-themed.
The hot pink was my stylist Elizabeth Saltzman’s idea, because it’s a punk color. She wanted to go punk with the color more than spikes and rips and that kind of thing. At the Met Ball, you are either committed to the costume part, or a dress that’s on-theme. I’m always going to go on the dress side. I’m never going to be in the costume, because that’s just me.
At the 2019 Emmys, you also wore an amazing black-and-white vintage Valentino from 1963.
That dress was so beautiful. Elizabeth found it. She was like, “Let’s give Valentino a present and find something from the archive.” I thought it was such a great idea. The only thing is that there was no slit in the back, so I had to take tiny steps. I was like, “Jesus, this is taking a long time to walk to the microphone.”
Do you have any personal favorites in your archive from Mr. Valentino?
He gave me quite a few gifts. I have this incredible Valentino couture cape that he gave me. I’m not sure I’ve worn it out on the red carpet ever, but it’s a black cape with feathers coming out every once in a while. The feathers are so beautiful. He also made me this heavy silk couture outfit, a kimono top and these beautiful trousers. I also have this couture coat that has the most unimaginable detail on the sleeve.
He also made your 2018 wedding dress!
Yes, my wedding dress when Brad and I got married. It was wonderful—it was so important to me to have the tag in the back that says Valentino. It was a way of having him there. I loved him so much. I can’t imagine having had the dress be anybody but his.
You’ve mentioned that your daughter, Apple, is enjoying borrowing from your archive lately. Do you think she will be eyeing all of this amazing Valentino?
She’s focused on the minimal, ’90s Calvin Klein. She goes down there and just comes up with armfuls of ’90s Calvin. It’s really having a moment. Even before Love Story—for the past 18 months, she’s been very into that. But that means she’ll graduate into the Valentino later in life.
Let’s talk about your relationship with the current Valentino designer, Alessandro Michele, given he is behind this new collectsion debuting in Rome. I know you have a great relationship as well.
He’s adorable. He’s really gifted, and I love his sensibility. He’s got these codes that are strong and that tend to go with him, but they also really evolve. It’s been really nice to see his codes evolve into this Valentino iteration, and for him to adopt this adoration of the female the way that Valentino did.
What are your favorite things about Rome?
I love Rome. It’s beautiful and has this incredible energy, and incredible food. I have essentially no time here: I land, go to the show, then turn around, because I’m presenting at the Oscars on Sunday. It’s going to be a quick one. But I will get in a good pasta and gelato, that’s for sure!
What’s one of your favorite spots to go for that in Rome?
My favorite restaurant at the moment is Da Enzo. You have to queue up for a bit, but it’s worth it. Very farm-to-table—so delicious. Everything is perfect.
How would you describe the fashion vibe in Rome? To me, it’s so distinctive.
Rome, to me, is a lot of color. It’s color and skin. The further south you go—in any country, really—you’ll see more skin, color, and pattern in the clothes. More sparkles. It gets more extroverted.
With the Oscars coming up on Sunday, what are you excited for?
It’s a bit overwhelming, and quite a lot, but it’s a nice opportunity to see old friends. On one hand, you can view awards season as a bit self-congratulatory, but I think it’s a nice moment to pay homage to American cinema. It’s been a real renaissance of filmmaking this year—real, original bold films with budgets. It reminds me of the films that we were making in the ’90s. This year, I feel really honored to have been in a film that’s nominated for best picture, but it’s also a nice moment to remember the value of film. In the United States, it’s always been a great export for us—not only from the revenue side, but also culturally what we stand for as a country, and helping people see themselves in the art that we make. When you have successful films that go across the world and have recognition like this, it does bolster the industry.
Does dressing for the Oscars carpet stress you out, or do you have fun with it?
I have fun. I’ve worked with my stylist Elizabeth Saltzman for so long. We go so well together—we’re peanut butter and jelly. She makes it so easy, because we never start far afield at all. Usually, I try one thing that she’s thinking about, and that’s it. It’s easy, and this year is no exception. I think she does a red carpet better than anyone.
Lastly, how are you feeling about finally closing the chapter on Marty Supreme? What a year it’s been for that film.
That’s what happens. You put your heart and soul into something, you hope it’s good, and it comes out. Luckily, this film was really well-received. I know it’s going to stand the test of time. I’m proud to have done it, and I’m glad that I got convinced to come back into the world of cinema for it. I feel like it was the right decision, and it was really fun for me artistically. It’s been great because that doesn’t always happen. I remember Nora Ephron saying to me when I was a kid—Emma had just come out, and it was having this moment of success—and she said, “just breathe this in and enjoy it, because this is not the outcome usually.” Of course, she was right.
This interview was edited and condensed for claritys.
