What happens to clothes when they are not worn? Valentino is making that question the starting point for its Spring/Summer 2027 collection.
Titled “Antibiblioteca,” the collection takes its concept from the idea of an “antilibrary” — a collection of books valued not only for what has been read, but also for what remains unread. The term is associated with writer and scholar Umberto Eco and was later popularised by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
For Valentino, the idea translates into clothing. The Spring/Summer 2027 collection looks at garments as possibilities rather than pieces with a fixed purpose. Some will become part of wardrobes. Others may be photographed, archived or simply remain unworn.
That approach shapes the way the collection is presented. The runway becomes a space for different interpretations of dressing, without requiring every look to have an immediate place in everyday life.
It also brings the idea of collecting into fashion. The concept recalls the Japanese term tsundoku, which describes accumulating books that have yet to be read. Valentino applies a similar thinking to clothes, focusing on what they represent before they become part of someone’s daily wardrobe.
The idea extends beyond the runway. Guests attending the show are invited to bring a book, either new or from their own collection, to donate to public libraries.
The books will be distributed in Paris and other cities through Bibliothèques Sans Frontières and Fauvettes City Club. The initiative gives the collection’s central idea a practical purpose, moving books from private shelves into public collections.
