Dior has confirmed that creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri will step away from the brand following a 9-year-long tenure.
The news that Chirui, who helmed the maison’s haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections, would be exiting the house was announced on Thursday.
In a statement, Dior said: “The House of Dior wishes to express today its deepest gratitude to Maria Grazia Chiuri after a wonderful collaboration as Creative Director of women’s collections since 2016."
© Getty ImagesDelphine Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Christian Dior Couture, stated: “I extend my warmest thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who, since her arrival at Dior, has accomplished tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections. She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections.”
Chiuri herself weighed in: “After nine years, I am leaving Dior, delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity. I would like to thank Monsieur Arnault for placing his trust in me and Delphine for her support. I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the Ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realize my vision of committed women’s fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”
© Getty ImagesThe Italian creative launched her career in 1989 at Fendi, where she worked on handbag design. A decade later, in 1999, she joined Valentino as an accessories designer and eventually rose to become co-creative director with Pierpaolo Piccioli in 2008. In 2016, she made history as the first woman to lead Dior since its founding in 1947, taking over from a line of notable predecessors including Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, and Raf Simons.
Her first collection for the house, shown for spring/summer 2017, drew inspiration from the world of fencing and included standout (somewhat controversial) pieces like slogan T-shirts bearing the message ‘We should all be feminists.’
Dior’s Cruise 2026 show marked Chiuri’s last sartorial offering for the brand. The designer transported audiences to the ancient ruins of Rome for Dior's Cruise 2026 collection, hosted within the walls of Villa Albani Torlonia.
Frothy textures, metallic flecks and longline gown silhouettes culminated in a goddess-like collection - a mystical offering deeply imbued with Chiuri’s aesthetic DNA.
