Giambattista Valli was all set to show their Spring 2026 Haute Couture collection in Paris on Monday, January 26. But with just a few days to go before their models were set to walk the runway — and with final preparations and fittings doubtless already well under way — parent company Artémis has decided to pull the plug, according to WWD.
A representative from Artémis told the publication that the house of Valli is “currently engaged in a thorough reflection on the organization of its activities in order to ensure their long-term sustainability.”
Artémis is, of course, the private investment arm of the Pinault family, owners of Kering, which, in turn owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga, alongside stakes in other businesses including Christie’s, CAA, Puma, and Courrèges.
Giambattista Valli (BFA)
Just last week, Puck’s Lauren Sherman sounded the alarm for Giambattista Valli (and other similarly placed brands) in the wake of the Saks Global bankruptcy filing. While the department store conglomerate managed to secure a reported $1.75 billion in funding to stay open during restructuring and pay off their top creditors — among them Chanel, LVMH, and Kering — smaller brands are likely to be left out in the cold, with millions of dollars in unpaid bills reduced to a fraction of their worth or simply not paid at all. This puts niche brands — like Giambattista Valli — in a state of existential crisis. Without guaranteed repayment it’s likely we will see a number of independent or semi-independent brands shutter over the coming year. A devastating loss not only to the fashion community, but to the entire cultural landscape.
According to Sherman, the writing has been on the wall for Valli for quite some time. The frilly party frocks that make up the vast majority of the brand’s merchandise have become increasingly irrelevant in recent years and Valli himself is apparently hellbent on doing things his own way, not matter the cost. Given Artèmis’s financial troubles of late — the company is nearly bankrupt, according to Sherman — it’s hardly surprising that they would be unwilling to continue floating the Valli brand, which, it turns out, has been looking for a new investor since November. Without one, chances of them being forced to cancel the couture show were high. Now that it’s happened, a full brand liquidation may not be far off.
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