Valentino Beauty returns to prestige fragrance with its biggest scent release in six years.
The brand revealed Vendetta Donna and Vendetta Uomo, a new fragrance duo with carefully crafted his-and-hers scent profiles.
A cinematic campaign supports the launch, starring Dakota Johnson and Alexander Skarsgård, photographed by fashion duo Inez & Vinoodh.
"Vendetta establishes a new olfactive chapter for Valentino Beauty, one defined by character, connection, and irresistible affinity," the brand said in a statement.
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The release introduces a romance-driven creative platform that reconnects the Maison with its 1991 Vendetta heritage.
It also gives the luxury brand a new flagship fragrance family to speak to consumers seeking emotional authenticity.
A Modern Love Story
Vendetta arrives as two distinct fragrances connected through a shared narrative of instinctive romance.
Master perfumer Dominique Ropion and perfumer Andrew Everett created Vendetta Donna.
Its scent profile centers on an exclusive Tuberose Osmobloom extract paired with a red orange nectar accord and creamy sandalwood.
Ropion described the goal as preserving tuberose's brightness while amplifying its "skin-like texture, and its depth."
Vendetta Uomo, composed by master perfumer Marie Salamagne, is designed to create a scent that stays close to the skin
It combines Peruvian ginger CO₂ extract, Italian citrus, a cinnamon liquor accord, patchouli, and woody notes.
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Valentino's signature V motif marks the fragrances' sculptural bottles, and the Maison's couture designs inspire the pleated caps.
Johnson and Skarsgård portray the campaign's central couple, with additional content set to expand the story ahead of the U.S. release in late August.
The coordinated product design and campaign narrative provide Valentino Beauty with a recognizable franchise.
Prestige Fragrance's $36 Billion Year
U.S. prestige fragrance grew 5% in 2025 to reach $36 billion, ahead of every other prestige beauty segment.
This growth is pushing luxury houses toward fragrance franchises with recognizable brand identities.
And Valentino is doing exactly that, reviving the Vendetta name that founder Valentino Garavani created decades ago.
It gives the brand a new collection with heritage recognition while presenting an entirely new formula and visual direction.
Distinct brand narratives help fragrance lines stand out in a crowded prestige market.
- Strong brand worlds encourage loyalty. Marketers should connect products to recognizable narratives to increase recall.
- Heritage strengthens new releases. Brands should revisit established names and reinterpret them to create familiarity without limiting creativity.
- Premium categories reward consistency. Companies should invest in enduring franchises to support repeat purchasing and future product extensions.
Product innovation, heritage, and creative storytelling reinforce each other to drive stronger reasons for trial and repeat purchases.
Our Take: Should the Perfumer Share the Spotlight?
Valentino is putting its perfumers forward as the talent.
We think this is the right instinct, as naming Ropion, Everett, and Salamagne lends the scents a credibility two celebrity faces can't supply alone.
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But the approach only pays off if the craft holds up, since a named perfumer invites the scrutiny a nameless one escapes.
Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer Eau de Parfum shows the other path, where personal fame does the anchoring.
We think more houses will credit the nose as shoppers grow curious about how a fragrance is actually made.
The people behind a product can become the essence of the brand.
Explore these top luxury branding agencies that help companies translate expertise, craftsmanship, and creative talent into stronger brand positioning.
