There's no on-boarding process for new brand ambassadors at Valentino. Alessandro Michele puts his muses right to work, including Dakota Johnson. On November 6, two weeks after her appointment, Johnson starred in her first Valentino campaign under Michele—proving the friends couldn't wait to work together again.
Now that the dust has settled on Spring 2026 collections, it's time to switch gears to the Cruise 2026 circuit. Valentino swapped a traditional runway show for a cinematic short film, plus corresponding close-ups. Michele cast Johnson as his leading lady in both mediums, first dressing her in a $9,900 little red dress. The off-the-shoulder mini featured two tiered cutouts, broken up by knotted sashes. Delicate drapery (all done by hand) added some dimension to the chiffon silk.
She accessorized with the white tights trend of yesteryear and ankle-strap Tiffany blue pumps. If her black leather tote looks familiar, that's because it's a Fall/Winter 2025 handbag-turned-celebrity staple. Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Bella Hadid, and Jenna Ortega own the now Johnson-approved Valentino Panthea. (Some in multiple shades.)
Michele and Johnson celebrated their first collaboration since 2022 with not one, but two set-ups. Next, the Materialists star tried on Look 5 from the Cruise 2026 collection: a bejeweled beige shawl layered over a feather-trimmed mini. To fulfill Johnson's naked dressing quota, the topper was completely transparent. Even so, the Valentino Panthea bag—this time in beige—took precedence. She carried the $2,300 tote by its yellow gold chainlink strap, while the studded crossbody dangled freely.
Another angle would've revealed the intricate nature of Johnson's mini. The spaghetti-strap style began with an ivory lace bodice and criss-cross satin ribbons. Then, metallic embroidery created a drop-waist effect atop a sequin sheath. Johnson opted out of the original leather newsboy cap and crimson ankle-strap heels. Knowing Michele, he gave her free reign.
Judging by their history at Gucci, fashion girls knew Michele and Johnson would make magic together. But now, Johnson's initial Valentino ad has fans begging for a full-blown collaboration.
