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Valentino Beauty introduces Vendetta, a new fragrance duo that does not rely on scent alone to seduce.
Starring Dakota Johnson and Alexander Skarsgård, the campaign unfolds like a short film about two people who decide to forget the rules and surrender to instinct.
There are fragrance campaigns that sell a bottle, and then there are those that attempt to create an entire world around a scent. With its new Vendetta collection, Valentino Beauty clearly chooses the latter.
The new Prestige Fragrance line consists of two scents – Vendetta Donna and Vendetta Uomo – conceived as two sides of the same story about attraction, passion and emotional freedom.
And Dakota Johnson and Alexander Skarsgård have been chosen as the faces of that story.
In the campaign, the two are not presented as a conventional romantic couple. Glances, silence, proximity and movement carry much of the narrative, while their connection is built around the idea of an almost inexplicable attraction – the kind of chemistry that quickly makes reason a far less influential adviser.
Like a Scene From a Movie You Want to Watch Until the End
The campaign was directed by Romain Gavras, while the photographs were created by the celebrated duo Inez & Vinoodh.
Shot on 35mm film, Vendetta deliberately avoids perfectly polished digital aesthetics. Film grain, the interplay of light and shadow, and a camera that follows the protagonists in motion give it the atmosphere of a European road movie.
Dakota Johnson and Alexander Skarsgård move between sun-drenched landscapes, cars and darker, more intimate interiors, while the road becomes a metaphor for their relationship – an escape from convention toward a place where instinct takes control.
An additional dose of drama comes from the iconic Pet Shop Boys song “It’s a Sin,” which perfectly complements the campaign’s central idea: sometimes passion itself can become an act of rebellion.
And then, of course, there is red.
Valentino red appears through clothing and subtle details, but never takes over the entire scene. Instead, it functions like a visual pulse – a brief warning that something far more intense is happening beneath the controlled surface.
Vendetta Donna: Tuberose at Its Most Seductive
The women’s fragrance Vendetta Donna was created by perfumers Dominique Ropion and Andrew Everett as a floral gourmand woody composition.
At its heart is the exclusive Tuberose Osmobloom™, presented through a creamy, luminous and distinctly sensual interpretation of tuberose.
The opening introduces a juicy red orange nectar accord with a subtly salty character, while sandalwood in the base gives the fragrance warmth and softness.
The result is a scent that begins bright and juicy before becoming increasingly warmer, creamier and more intimate on the skin.
Vendetta Donna in the 50 ml size is priced at $150, while the 90 ml version is available for $185.
Vendetta Uomo Plays a Much Darker Game
Its masculine counterpart was created by perfumer Marie Salamagne, who built the fragrance around a woody, spicy gourmand structure.
Vendetta Uomo opens with CO₂ ginger extract from Peru combined with fresh Italian citrus. After the initial burst of freshness comes a cinnamon liqueur accord enriched with spices, giving the fragrance a warmer and more seductive character.
The base combines patchouli essence with a modern woody note that Valentino describes as “carnal woods.”
The 90 ml bottle is priced at $170.
Two Fragrances, One Vendetta
What is particularly interesting is that Valentino Beauty does not attempt to present Vendetta Donna and Uomo as two completely separate products.
They function as a fragrance pair.
Donna combines luminous tuberose, red orange and creamy sandalwood, while Uomo responds with ginger, cinnamon, spices, patchouli and deeper woody notes.
One side of the story is brighter and more sensual, the other darker and spicier – much like the dynamic between Dakota Johnson and Alexander Skarsgård in the campaign.
That is precisely why Vendetta feels more like a cinematic project than a traditional fragrance launch. The casting, music, analog film, journey, red accents and the fragrances themselves all become part of the same story.
And its message is remarkably simple: not every great passion needs to ask for permission.
