Diego Della Valle Named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

PARIS — Tod’s chairman and chief executive officer Diego Della Valle has been named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, the French cultural distinction, which was awarded to the Italian businessman on Friday.

“The rank of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters is one of the highest honors of the French Republic and is granted to individuals who have distinguished themselves through their exceptional contribution to the promotion of the arts and culture in France and around the world,” the company said in a statement. “This honor recognizes Diego Della Valle’s commitment to supporting art, fashion and cultural heritage.”

Della Valle, who sits on the board of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has long maintained strong ties to France through strategic investments in storied maisons, including couture house Schiaparelli and luxury shoemaker Roger Vivier.

While widely known for championing Made in Italy and preserving artisanal craftsmanship, Della Valle singlehandedly revived both historic French labels — bringing Roger Vivier back to prominence in 2011 and relaunching Schiaparelli in 2013, after the house had remained dormant since 1954.

He also owns casual footwear label Hogan and the casualwear brand Fay.

Beyond fashion, his group recently pledged 2.5 million euros toward the restoration of Milan’s city hall, a project expected to be completed by September. Over the years Della Valle has supported several cultural preservation efforts, including the restoration of the Colosseum in Rome. He has said that such contributions stem from a personal desire to give back, not for publicity or financial return.

With this latest recognition, Della Valle joins a roster of designers including Iris van Herpen, Simon Porte Jacquemus, Demna and Rahul Mishra, who have also been named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.