Keke Palmer, Sombr and More Celebrities Are Keeping the Rockstud Revival Going Strong

What do Keke Palmer, Sombr and Anne Hathaway have in common? They’ve all worn Valentino Rockstud shoes this year.

The signature footwear style of the Italian house, defined by its Roman architecture-inspired pyramid-shaped studs, has been revived recently, thanks to creative director Alessandro Michele and a slew of celebrity supporters.

Palmer, for example, just stepped out in New York City on Monday in a silhouette introduced in Michele’s pre-fall 2026 collection, where he brought the stud motif back with his own spin. Now available from the brand for $1,190, the heels feature a strappy caged upper and a platinum-finish metal toe cap. Palmer wore a black version to go with a ruched long-sleeve peach Valentino jacket, but the kidskin leather pump comes in a list of other colors as well.

Buzz generated around the Rockstud back in the fall when a teaser trailer for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” came out, and a close-up showed Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly wearing a red pump lined with the recognizable studs — the iconic decoration was introduced by previous creative directors Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri in the brand’s fall 2010 collection.

The pre-fall collection was revealed in December following the interest boosted by the trailer, showcasing the aforementioned style worn by Palmer as well as a strappy heeled sandal in the Rockstud family. The caged pump came up again in Valentino’s fall 2026 ready-to-wear and cruise 2027 presentations, further highlighting how the brand is relying on the style.

During “The Devil Wears Prada 2” press tour, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt showcased Michele’s Rockstud creations, keeping the revived motif on the map with method dressing looks leaning into the red, black and white color palette associated with the franchise.

Additional celebrity backing has come from Lili Reinhart, who wore the black version of Michele’s sandal with a custom Valentino dress at the Gotham Television Awards in June, and Natasha Lyonne, who wore the caged pump in white with a Valentino look including an embroidered organza jacket with pink flowers in May.

But the Rockstud isn’t just a shoe for women. The rising star Sombr, who was tapped as a Valentino brand ambassador this year, performed at Coachella in Rockstud boots as part of a custom look for him created by Michele. The outfit also included a black leather jacket, pants and a choker, all embellished with studs.

As summer continues to unfold and the next fashion month approaches in September, FN will keep continue its eye on how Michele fits the Rockstud into his Valentino vision.