‘Her Power’ unveiled: Valentino’s cultural celebrations along Suzhou Creek

Valentino, long renowned for its unambiguously feminine design, has never strayed from being a feminist icon in the luxury world. From drawing inspiration from women’s daily looks to promoting female creatives in fashion and beyond, it stands as a testament to the possibility for a woman to be feminine and feminist all at once, intrinsically, and unapologetically. For International Women’s Day 2025, the Italian fashion house launched a series of events celebrating women’s extraordinary creativity and unparalleled resilience. It created a city walk map for people to explore female art and literature along the meandering Suzhou Creek, Shanghai’s “mother river,” and introduced a variety of cultural initiatives themed “Urban Walk, Encounter Her Power.” Spanning two weeks to March 9, the campaign along Suzhou Creek, extending west to Fotografiska Shanghai museum, and east to the Union Hall and Naïve Bookstore. The series of events generated high engagement and created a buzz on lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote). Event spots filled up within five minutes of reservations on the brand’s mini-program opening. As more luxury maisons mark International Women’s Day by aligning with the shifting preferences of women, Valentino stands out in its exploration of the infinite possibilities of female creativity and its creation of a real-life connection between role models and everyday women. China’s female consumer market surpassed 10 trillion RMB ($1.4 trillion) in 2024, according to data from leading tech company Sina Corporation. The rise of the “she economy” has largely been driven by women’s growing desire to connect with brands that echo their values. Highlighting female creatives in diversity On February 22, Valentino unveiled Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi’s solo exhibition at Fotografiska Shanghai, kicking off the initiative. Kawauchi burst onto the international art scene in 2001 with her exploration of the beauty of the mundane against the grandeur of nature in poetic, serene details. The exhibition, “A Faraway Shining Star, Twinkling in Hand," features two of Kawauchi’s recent collections: “M/E” and “An Interlinking.” The M/E series was created when she was navigating a major life change — becoming a mother. She once reflected that having a child had changed her outlook on life; but gradually her daughter started appearing in her tender, pastel snapshots, adding a newfound depth to her works and imbuing each frame with an unusual power. Rendered through a female gaze, the works took viewers on a creative journey like no other. They align seamlessly with Valentino’s artistic ethos — celebrating women’s self-expression and the transformative power of photography. Dedicated to diverse creative perspectives, the brand has long championed women behind the lens. The event concluded with an exclusive Gala Dinner co-hosted by Valentino and Fotografiska, where actress Rayza, entrepreneur Laurinda Ho, and dancer Hua Xiaoyi and other celebrities engaged in a conversation on female artistry. Guests attended a private preview of the exhibition. Apart from the visual arts, literature was another creative industry the iconic fashion house highlighted. On March 8, it hosted a women’s book club in collaboration with Naïve Bookstore Shanghai. Among guests was Jiang Fangzhou, known as a child prodigy who began writing at the age of seven and published her first book at nine. “After turning 30, I gained a deeper understanding of what it means to express oneself,” she said during the book club session. She recalled that when she rose to fame, men dominated the media landscape. Now, the situation is changing — women no longer have to resort to “softness” to make their voices heard. Joining her in the discussion was Melody Liu, a television host and author known for her bold, razor-sharp, and unfiltered take on marriage and womanhood. Top university graduate, beauty pageant winner, and likable media personality are the labels applied to her. “I believe it’s crucial to enhance your core competitiveness and elevate your personal value,” she told guests. Creating real-life connection with everyday women During the book club session at Naïve, Valentino curated a women’s reading list, featuring 10 books including actress and director Chen Chong’s essay collection Catfish and journalist Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Customers who purchased any book from the list received an exclusive book wrapping service, taking home a title beautifully wrapped in “Valentino Green.” The reading, accompanied by bespoke coffees and cocktails crafted by female bartenders, centered on The Making of an Ordinary Woman, an essay collection by Jiang E centering on how the protagonist decides to live her life as an unapologetically confident woman after two decades of living by the rules in the city. Known for its niche hobby of cooperating with indie bookshops, Valentino has been partnering with local brick-and-mortar stores to explore cultural heritage and build a bridge between tradition and modernity. While other brands are competing to launch digital products to create highly immersive experiences, the quiet allure of written words at brick-and-mortar bookstores creates an air of nostalgia and authenticity, resonating with modern female customers’ increasing appreciation for tangible, contemplative, and personal encounters. Weaving brand identity into the fabric of local culture A concert offered another way to engage people in the moment, cementing the connection between the brand and its consumers. Besides the photography and literature events, Valentino hosted a Women’s Live House music event at Union Church, a former Protestant church built in the Gothic style in the mid-19th century, now transformed into an art space. Female musicians Penny Tai, known for her introspective lyrics, and Waa Wei, well-versed in blending indie, folk, and experimental sounds, delivered a powerful performance that captured the complexity of the female experience. From March 7 through 9, Valentino operated a pop-up flower shop at Fotografiska, where visitors could pick up a limited-edition holiday bouquet and share their experiences on social media. According to research by the China-Europe Institute of Fashion, luxury consumers’ priorities are shifting from “ownership” to “experience” and “social value” in 2025. The younger demographic is placing more emphasis on experiential consumption. By weaving together photography, literature, music, and flowers, Valentino masterfully shapes the many contours of “her power” in a way that feels both intimate and aesthetic. At a time when Chinese women are redefining their sense of identity, grand narratives on women’s issues or formulaic marketing campaigns no longer work as well as they once did. Instead, what speaks louder to them now is something more nuanced, more diverse, more individualistic. With its luxurious feminine designs and artful way of illuminating the infinite ways women shape the world, Valentino is creating a luxurious world that women inhabit, in both body and mind. Ultimately, the brand has moved beyond the traditional one-off marketing approach for a single holiday to embrace a long-term vision — building a multidimensional cultural marketing ecosystem. In this way, it has established a paradigm for lasting success by blending localized, diversified, nuanced narratives with evolving consumer desires in addition to weaving itself into the very fabric of culture.

‘Her Power’ unveiled: Valentino’s cultural celebrations along Suzhou Creek

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Published March 10, 2025

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‘Her Power’ unveiled: Valentino’s cultural celebrations along Suzhou Creek