During Pierpaolo Piccioli’s (@pppiccioli) six years at the helm of @maisonvalentino, he has transformed haute couture into a vehicle for expressing big, bold ideas. The designer, who took home Designer of the Year at the 2022 Fashion Awards, has played with dramatic, sculptural forms; harnessed the extraordinarily precise techniques of the Valentino ateliers; and combined colors in startling ways. But unlike designers of the past, Piccioli has used his couture collections to advance messages about inclusivity, gender, and diversity. “To me, couture is an instrument to say in an even louder way what I believe in, what I stand for,” he tells W. “Couture is pure as a process, as an approach, so when you generate attention with couture, it can have a bigger impact than with other means of expression.” For our latest issue, we asked the designer to scour his own archives and select some of the most emblematic work from his six years designing Valentino couture. Bringing the clothes to life required assembling an eclectic group, including @NicolaPeltzBeckham, French model and actor @TinaKunakey, Drag Race superstar @SheaCouleé, and the designer’s daughter Benedetta Piccioli. Link in bio for more. - Photography: @LizJohnsonArtur Styling: @aaalliata Hair: @claire__grech, @davidvoncannon Makeup: @DariiaDay, @EmilyChengmakeup Casting: @emperorlee Production: @cebestudio W VOLUME SIX 2022, THE HOLIDAY ISSUE