AI meets couture in Valentino x Vans’ limited-edition sneaker collab

Valentino Garavani has teamed up with Vans for an exclusive sneaker collaboration, unveiled not just through couture-meets-skate design, but via a fully AI-generated campaign.

The video opens in stark black and white inside a tiled bathroom before quickly bursting into colour. Red tiles set the scene as models strut in the new sneakers, only for water to suddenly flood the space. In a surreal shift, the camera transports viewers to a beach where the models continue their walk across the sand, spotlighting the collection against contrasting backdrops.

The visuals were produced entirely with AI, using original footage from Valentino’s Le Méta Théâtre Des Intimités Fall/Winter 2025-26 show in Paris as a base. Valentino emphasised that all imagery was generated with the informed consent of the models and talents involved.

Don't miss: Creative studio puts fashionistas through pain with impossible Birkin claw machine 

The collection itself reinterprets the Vans Authentic, the brand’s first silhouette launched in 1966, through creative director Alessandro Michele’s vision. Six variations for men and women feature sturdy canvas uppers, co-branded insoles and packaging that reimagines Vans’ checkerboard motif with Valentino’s VLogo Signature.

Among the line-up is a playful Le Chat de la Maison edition, available exclusively at Valentino boutiques, Valentino.com and the Vans Oxford Street flagship.

Available on Valentino.com from today, the sneakers will launch across Valentino boutiques, Vans.com and the London flagship from 19 September.

By pairing Vans’ skate heritage with Valentino’s luxury edge and amplifying it through an AI-driven campaign, the collaboration signals how fashion houses are using emerging tech to push both creative storytelling and brand identity.

That said, not all in the fashion world is embracing AI. Earlier in July, the industry’s uneasy flirtation with artificial intelligence took centre stage in the pages of Vogue, when a Guess advertisement featuring an AI-generated model ignited backlash on social media. The two-page spread in Vogue’s August issue featured a blonde model styled in striking editorial looks, but a small line of text revealed: “Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI.” The model did not exist.

Created by Seraphinne Vallora, an AI-driven creative studio co-founded by designers Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, the campaign aimed to democratise high-fashion visuals through design-led AI tools. Instead, it drew criticism from fans who voiced disappointment at both Guess and Vogue for sidelining real models, intensifying the debate over creativity, labour, and beauty standards in fashion.

Accelerate your brand’s growth with AI-first strategies, emerging tech and data-driven experiences. Join 500+ marketing leaders at Digital Marketing Asia 2025 Singapore on 24–25 September to uncover transformative trends, real-world wins and powerful ideas for 2025 and beyond. 

Related articles:  
Outrage erupts as Vogue runs Guess ad with AI-generated model  
Luxury goes pop: How music videos are the new catwalks for high fashion brands
How luxury pop-ups are redefining exclusivity