ETERNALLY YOURS

With a new pope and a reinvigorated cultural scene, Rome feels transformed.

- BY HASSAN PIERRE

La Minerva, a new luxury hotel designed by Hugo Toro.

One could be forgiven for thinking they've seen Rome. The Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, a coin tossed into the Trevi Fountain, ciao, arrivederci. But Rome has always mastered the art of reinvention. And in 2025, the city is staging a revival worthy of a standing ovation.

Ahead of Dior's cruise 2026 show held in the Italian capital this past May, Maria Grazia Chiuri—in her swan song as creative director for the house—unveiled the newly restored Teatro della Cometa, a gem of Roman theatrical history and a personal investment worked on with her daughter, Rachele Regini. With velvet curtains and burnished gold balconies, the space speaks volumes about Chiuri's affection for her hometown. Her Dior runway presentation, full of ethereal, ghostlike looks, was held in the gardens of the Villa Albani Torlonia. A few days earlier, the Fondazione Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, started by the Valentino cofounders, opened PM23, a venue devoted to art exhibitions, events, and workshops.