Dior states the Valentino couture show in Rome on the Spanish Steps hampered business in its boutique, which is located near the city’s landmark and is demanding to be compensated in the amount of 100,000 euros to be paid in 15 days.
DIOR’S DEMAND: Valentino staged a dreamy couture show on the Spanish Steps on Friday evening, which had clusters of onlookers flood the nearby streets and look out of the windows from the buildings all around, cheering and clapping. The mood was festive — but the House of Dior was not amused.
In a letter sent to Valentino on the night of the show by the retail manager of Christian Dior Italia and seen by WWD, the French brand requested to be compensated for the disruption caused to the Dior store, located on the corner of Via Condotti and facing the Spanish Steps, in the amount of 100,000 euros to be paid in 15 days.
According to Dior, Valentino, which had been requesting permits to stage the event in such a key location in the city from the police and several authorities for months, in its own letter sent out to retailers on June 27 “guaranteed regular foot traffic to the stores,” but Dior said this was “not reflected in any way” by the situation on the evening of the show, according to the letter.
Dior stated that access to its boutique was “hampered” and customers were “refused access and blocked at the barriers,” so that the store “remained empty and could not operate from the early hours of the afternoon,” a fact that Dior alleged was “amplified” by the event being scheduled on a Friday, “a day when surely proceeds are [significant].”
If the amount is not paid by Valentino in two weeks, Dior stated it will “adopt all the necessary measures to protect its rights.” Dior representatives did not return requests for additional comment.
At press time, no other fashion brand with stores in the area surrounding the Spanish Steps had submitted any complaint to Valentino.
