If there’s one place in the world where luxury feels right at home, it’s along the canals of Venice. And if there’s one family that knows how to play host in the City of Sighs, it’s the Pinaults.
Marking the latest major event for their foundation, the Pinault Collection, the breathtaking Palazzo Grassi pulled out all the stops to welcome three generations of the dynasty for a night where art and family came together in a perfect embrace. Every corner of the historic palace exuded sophistication, while the conversation, the fashion, and the family reunions stole the spotlight on one of the season’s most talked-about nights.
© Getty ImagesA Venetian Love Story: Decades in the Making
Salma Hayek Pinault, stunning as always and now firmly established as the ultimate ambassador of French style with a Latina soul, arrived hand in hand with her husband, François-Henri Pinault. The Mexican actress and the French businessman tied the knot in Paris on Valentine’s Day 2009, when their daughter, Valentina, was nearly a year and a half old. Though skeptics initially predicted the marriage wouldn’t last, even questioning the actress’s motives for marrying the luxury mogul, the couple has proven, after nearly two decades together, that they are truly meant for each other. “After 18 years together and 15 years of marriage, you still make loving you easy, fun, deep, and fresh as a gentle breeze. Happy anniversary, my love,” the actress shared on February 14, 2024, celebrating her anniversary with François-Henri.
© FilmMagicThe major event was also deeply personal because, two decades earlier in 2006, Salma and François-Henri met in that exact same spot: the Palazzo Grassi. She had been invited to the grand opening of the palace, which the French businessman had acquired that very year. By all accounts, sparks flew instantly; it was later reported that the two sat together at dinner and didn’t leave each other’s side all night. Many found it hard to believe the immediate connection and chemistry between them, given how little they seemingly had in common. Today, we know better.
© Getty ImagesThe Pinault Sisters Steal the Spotlight
© Getty Images for GucciYet, beyond the power couple dynamics and the evening’s tributes, all eyes were on the next generation: Valentina Paloma, daughter of François-Henri and Salma Hayek, and her older sister, Mathilde Pinault, from the businessman’s previous marriage to Dorothée Lepère. Though they look like polar opposites physically, their chemistry, warmth, and easygoing bond were on full display all night, making their strong sisterly connection undeniable.
© Getty ImagesValentina Paloma opted for a sleek, understated silhouette, choosing an asymmetrical, one-shoulder black gown with a side slit that channeled the timeless, refined glamour so characteristic of Salma Hayek. Mathilde Pinault, meanwhile, went for a much more contemporary look, wearing a black cutout dress that felt both edgy and effortless. While their styles were distinctly different, the two looks complemented each other perfectly, reflecting a natural aesthetic synergy between the sisters.
© Getty ImagesA Heartwarming Cross-Generational Bond
© Getty ImagesThe sisters also made it clear that they share a wonderful relationship with their grandfather, François Pinault. During the event, they sat on either side of him and happily posed for photos, leaving the billionaire patriarch grinning from ear to ear, clearly thrilled to be surrounded by his loved ones. The scene, full of warmth and spontaneity, captured not just their tight-knit family bond but also an easy cross-generational chemistry that was visible in every gesture, glance, and shared moment throughout the night.
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