Fashion

Lady Gaga is Valentino's Latest Fragrance Muse

Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director of Valentino, was inspired by the human voice when creating the lush new Voce Viva perfume.

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Ten albums, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, a Bafta, and 11 Grammys. Provocative, outrageous, and committed, Lady Gaga is a global icon known as much for her distinct style as she is for her versatility as a performer.

Over the years, Gaga has been no stranger to starting conversation with her fashion choices, from the controversial Franc Fernandez meat dress in 2010, to the nine looks she wore to the most recent MTV Video Music Awards, dressed, among others, by Valentino. The star's relationship with the brand began with the show-stopping pink feather-covered gown she wore to the Venice premiere of A Star is Born in 2018, and the periwinkle Cinderella-esque ballgown she walked the Golden Globes red carpet in that same year. Gaga is now also the face of Valentino's newest perfume, Voce Viva.

The scent is a woody floral, which from its first sparkling impression of bergamot, mandarin and ginger, fades gradually into a more subtle, feminine scent. The front of the bottle is faceted with Valentino's trademark stud, inspired by the richness of 16th century Roman palaces, and the gold cap is hinted with pink, differing itself from the classic Valentino red. L'Officiel Italia spoke with Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino's creative director, about his vision for this new release. 

L'Officiel: How would you describe the current Valentino woman?
Pierpaolo Piccioli: In love with life, with a free spirit, and without restrictions.

L'O: How would you define beauty?
PP: Humanity at the highest level of purity.

L'O: What is the purpose of a perfume?
PP: To amplify the wearer's personality.

LO: Why launch a new perfume at this moment?
PP: I have always been fascinated by fragrance. And, today more than ever, we trust our senses. Our presence in the world has become exquisitely sensorial and instinctive. Voce Viva is a truly all-encompassing, a sublime evocation that involves both body and mind.

L'O: How was the concept of the Voce Viva fragrance born?
PP: Of all the ways we communicate, I chose the voice, as first violin in the orchestra. The voice is is a vehicle of individuality.

L'O: How would you describe the Voce Viva universe and its message?
PP: The universe is free, unpredictable, instinctive, strong. The message is that the human imagination has no boundaries. We are all living our dreams.

L'O: Is the new perfume inspired by your olfactory memory in particular?
PP: More than olfactory, my nostalgic memory of Voce Viva is linked to the concept of voice. Many voices from the past are still alive in me and this perfume reminds me of them all.

L'O: Why did you choose to reinvent the classic Valentino red for packaging with a shade of pink?
PP: In my work, color research plays an essential role, and red has always been part of it. For me, rethinking the use of red means being ready to accept the change of modernity and reacting enthusiastically to daily challenges.

 

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