BY JAY AQUINO

AUGUST 30, 2025

Valentino’s latest collaboration seems designed to make us clap. It’s bold, it’s playful, it’s unmistakably Alessandro Michele, and yet…why are we still skeptical?

Unveiled at Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2025 show, the collection introduced reworked Vans classics, checkerboard slip-ons and Authentics. They peeked out from beneath slouchy Valentino tailoring, challenging the idea of what belongs on a runway. People have been quick to note how Michele upscaled Vans without completely reinventing them, keeping their skate-rooted stance intact while giving them a faint whiff of maximalist luxury. 

The shoes themselves aren’t bad; in fact, they are charming, unpretentious, and clearly infused with both brands’ DNA—but the chemistry between Valentino and Vans still feels questionable. Collaborations only really sing when the energy is balanced. Sometimes it's about contrast, sometimes harmony, but always chemistry. And here, we’re not sure the spark is quite there.

IMAGE SOURCE: VALENTINO X VANS

Michele’s Valentino has been defined by its archival deep dives, excavating the house’s history and casting it through his kaleidoscopic, geek-chic lens. His Resort 2025 debut channeled old-world glamour with poetic flourishes, transforming Valentino’s heritage into something boldly flamboyant.

The collaboration would have hit harder if Vans leaned further into Valentino’s romantic, theatrical world, rather than Valentino dipping into Van’s skatepark. That way, we could see whether Vans has the range to move beyond its skateboarding universe—and if it can truly hold its own in the realm of high fashion.

IMAGE SOURCE: VALENTINO X VANS

Of course, judgment through images alone can be deceiving. Seeing the sneakers in motion, in the chaos of real life, could shift our opinion. Sometimes fashion asks for a leap of faith, and maybe this is one of those moments. 

What we’re left with is a collaboration that isn’t inherently wrong—far from it—but feels like mixing two cocktails with overpowering flavors. Intriguing on paper, maybe jarring in practice. Still, there’s a chance the reality will surprise us. Until then, we’ll hold our opinions loosely, waiting to see if Valentino Vans are just another headline grab or the start of something more radical.

Discover Valentino x Vans here.