Maria Grazia Chiuri to exit Dior
'Christian Dior Couture announces that Maria Grazia Chiuri has decided to leave her position as creative director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections,' the house said in a statement on Thursday.
'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,' Christian Dior couture chairman and CEO Delphine Arnault said. '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.'
'I would like to thank Monsieur Arnault for placing his trust in me and Delphine for her support, Chiuri said. 'I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realise 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.'
A successor has yet to be announced. This comes after Dior appointed Jonathan Anderson as its artistic director of men's collection in April, succeeding Kim Jones, who exited in January.
The Italian designer began her career at Fendi in 1989 as a handbag designer and moved to Valentino in 1999 as an accessories designer before being promoted to co-creative director alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli in 2008. She was appointed at Dior in 2016, becoming its first female designer since the house was founded in 1947—she succeeded Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano and Raf Simons.
Her debut collection for Spring/Summer 2017, inspired by fencing, featured slogan tees, which read 'We should all be feminists'. That set the tone for her tenure, which consistently referenced women's empowerment. 'The message, really, is that there is not one type of woman,' she told Vogue Runway at the show. Over the years, Chiuri has collaborated with several female artists for show sets, including Judy Chicago, Faith Ringgold, Eva Jospin and Mickalene Thomas. In the Dior SS25 show, Italian artist and competitive archer Sagg Napoli shot arrows at a target as the models did their circuit.
Chiuri also consistently drew on the archives beyond Christian Dior's era. 'Monsieur Dior only [lived] 10 years. It can't only be about him!' she told Vogue Runway at her debut show. 'In some ways, I see myself as a curator of the house.' For example, in 2018, together with CEO Pietro Beccari, who was appointed in 2017, she relaunched the Saddle Bag, one of the house's iconic bags from the Galliano era. For AW24, she paid homage to Marc Bohan's invention of the Miss Dior line, and notably the opening of a (now defunct) Miss Dior boutique in 1967, as a way to offer ready-to-wear to couture clients. 'I'm very fascinated by this collection and this moment of Mr. Bohan's history,' she told Vogue Runway . The Dior AW25 show had 'Dior-isms', including nods to Galliano's Saddle bag and J'Adore Dior T-shirts and to Gianfranco Ferré's white shirts, according to Vogue Runway . Maria Grazia Chiuri poses with models backstage at the Dior resort 2026 show. Acielle/StyleDuMonde
The designer has navigated the course through the whirlwind of runway shows, including women's ready-to-wear couture, cruise, and even pre-fall shows (such as the one in Mumbai, which highlighted the works of artisans, and most recently in Kyoto). It all translated into enormous commercial success. Dior couture sales went from €2.2 billion in 2017 to €9.5 billion in 2023, per HSBC. Dior isn't immune to the wider luxury slowdown, though. In 2024, sales decreased to €8.7 billion, according to HSBC. And in the first quarter of 2025, sales of LVMH's fashion and leather goods division were down 5 per cent. Dior hired Benedetta Petruzzo as managing director, who took up the role on 15 October, reporting to Delphine Arnault, and Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou as deputy CEO in April.
In her downtime, as a personal project, Chiuri has been restoring a historic theatre, Rome's Teatro della Cometa.
The Dior resort 2026 show, held on Tuesday, was 'a heartfelt, nearly all-white celebration of Rome, her birthplace', according to Vogue Runway. It was her last show with the house.
The story was originally published on Vogue Business.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
20 hours ago
- International Business Times
Brooks Nader Suffers Major Wardrobe Malfunction While Lounging on Yacht in Italy but Handles Situation with Grace
Brooks Nader suffered a major wardrobe malfunction on a yacht in Italy that left her breasts accidentally exposed. The influencer took to Instagram Stories share photos from a high-profile yacht trip, and in one particular photo, she wore a fitted white dress without a bra while reclining on the boat. However, as she reached for her cowboy hat while laughing, the neckline of her dress slid down. To avoid a full mishap, the model covered her boobs with two star emojis before sharing the photo with millions of her fans. She completed her look with bold gold jewelry, aviator shades, and a radiant smile as she lounged on the yacht. Lounging on the Yacht Brooks Nader accidentally exposed her breasts while lounging on a yacht in Italy Instagram On Wednesday, Nader, 28, posted photos of herself wearing only thong bottoms while climbing on an inflatable wall attached to the boat. By Saturday, she switched things up in a sleek blue corset dress by Italian designer Ermanno Scervino, pairing it with a sparkly cowboy hat as she joyfully spent time with her sisters Grace Ann, Mary Holland, and Sarah Jane Nader. The blonde bombshell — who turned heads at Wednesday's ESPYs in a daring, plunging Saint Laurent gown — had earlier been applauded for gracefully handling a wardrobe mishap at Wimbledon in July. Brooks Nader suffered an embarassing wardrobe malfunction while vacationing in Italy Instagram When the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model unexpectedly got her period during the match, she destigmatized the moment by highlighting the red stain on her white skirt in a TikTok video. "Tries to be chic," she captioned the clip. "Starts at Wimbledon." In the post, she showed off her outfit for the prestigious tennis event — a stylish polka-dot top paired with a classic white zippered midi skirt — before turning around to reveal the red spot as her shocked friends reacted in the background. "Of course #wimbledon," she captioned the video. Handling It in Style Supporters praised Nader for the honest way she dealt with the wardrobe slip, flooding the comments section with messages of appreciation. Brooks Nader Instagram "Thank you for normalizing what we go through," one TikTok user wrote, while another added, "You're so real for this." Brooks Nader Instagram Nader's summer has been packed with high-profile moments — after parting ways with her "Dancing with the Stars" partner Gleb Savchenko in April, she attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's glamorous wedding in Italy this June, where she mingled with Tom Brady and other notable guests.
Business Times
2 days ago
- Business Times
From Gucci to Rolex: The rise and fall of luxury in music
'YOU know my style and I love Christian Dior.' If you've heard these lyrics at a party recently, you're not alone. The infectious dance track, titled simply, Dior, has become a summer anthem, topping the charts in the UK and gaining traction in the US. The timing could not be more perfect for the fashion brand itself. Bernard Arnault, chief executive officer of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has been on a mission to revive Christian Dior, and head designer Jonathan Anderson is starting to unveil his new creative vision. Do such pop culture moments matter for companies? We'd say yes. Analysis by Bloomberg Opinion of songs in the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Hip-Hop/R&B charts suggests that music offers an insightful way to map the fortunes of the luxury industry. It's a useful complement to more traditional measures of brand buzz, such as Google searches and social media conversations. The data shows that name-checks in song lyrics skyrocketed during the luxury boom from late 2020 to early 2023, cementing fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci as cultural phenomena. Since then, mentions have slumped, underscoring the crisis facing the industry, with sales down across the sector, many young people turning away from conspicuous consumption, and the share prices of LVMH and Gucci-owner Kering at multi-year lows. The rise and fall of some individual brands, as seen through music, is even more striking. Many are now wondering when the worst will be over. Well, it is worth paying attention to songs. A rapper mentioning the name of a luxury brand on a hot track is not something that can be factored into company sales projections or plugged into a financial model – but it can capture the cultural zeitgeist. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Our analysis focused primarily on hip-hop and R&B because these genres had the highest mention of luxury brands. But dance and electronica also feature luxury labels, such as Prada and now Dior, as do pop songs in the Billboard Hot 100, such as Meghan Trainor's 2022 hit Made You Look, which shouted out Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Versace. There is a particular reason why hip-hop has come to encapsulate the luxury boom and bust. The rap community has long aspired to own top-end goods, and yet many European houses were famously reluctant to embrace streetwear. That changed a decade ago when LVMH appointed the late Virgil Abloh, the founder of influential label Off-White, as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear in March 2018. The designer introduced the industry to a younger, more diverse audience that was passionate about music. The late Virgil Abloh, appointed by LVMH as creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear in March 2018, introduced the industry to a younger, more diverse audience that was passionate about music. PHOTO: AFP Between 2017 and 2022, sales of personal luxury goods rose by more than US$100 billion, according to Bain & Co. In the US, much of this was driven by younger spenders who were affluent but not super wealthy. It fits that luxury aesthetics were in a 'loud' phase characterised by bold colors and ostentatious logos. At the same time, hip-hop and R&B were becoming more mainstream, accounting for a higher percentage of the Billboard Hot 100 and so amplifying its influence. Flashy, coveted items – think Rolex watches and Hermes handbags – were touted in popular songs. Indeed, Arnault said in early 2022 that Louis Vuitton wasn't just a fashion business, it was a 'cultural brand' too. But as inflation and interest rates began soaring post-Covid, many of the new luxury customers came under pressure. Big bling retrenched and refocused its attention on older, wealthier shoppers, offering plainer styles and fewer logos. Streetwear faded from fashion and 'quiet luxury' was born. With the old money aesthetic came old-money price tags, further alienating younger buyers. This correlated with fewer high-end brand names, Gucci and Dior for example, appearing in lyrics in 2022 and 2023. (A broader range of labels, such as Goyard, with some price points below the megabrands, was included by hip hop and R&B stars.) This helps explain why companies' communications strategies, led by LVMH, are now coalescing around sport. For example, soccer star Kylian Mbappe was the face of Jonathan Anderson's first collection for Dior, rather than a musician, such as A$AP Rocky, with whom the label previously collaborated. But our analysis suggests that forfeiting music for sport would be a mistake. Brands want to reconnect with many of the customers they have priced out. The right reference at an opportune moment could enhance their efforts. Who's still feeling Gucci? When it comes to individual brands, the most startling story is Gucci. Name-checks in lyrics started to take off in 2016, as designer Alessandro Michele's maximalist style filtered through to fashion. This corresponded with a period of phenomenal sales growth. Boosted by a shoutout in Lil Nas X's Old Town Road, featuring Bill Ray Cyrus, mentions reached their zenith in 2018 and 2019, a clear correlation with peak Gucci. Perhaps this could have been a warning that Gucci was becoming over-exposed – and a chance to think about how to evolve Michele's opulent aesthetic. Indeed, the label has struggled to redefine itself since Michele's departure in late 2022, and in tandem, mentions in songs have languished. Given that at its peak, Gucci accounted for more than 60 per cent of Kering's sales, this is reflected in the parent's performance. Yet Gucci's previous cultural cachet from songs is a base on which new creative director Demna Gvasalia can build, particularly as it has been so low-profile for three years. With LVMH focusing more on sport, for example, through its US$1 billion sponsorship of Formula 1 motor racing, new Kering CEO Luca de Meo should prioritise music. Then he would have a decent shot at getting shoppers once more Feeling Gucci, as the 2018 song by Savage Ga$p puts it. In contrast, Hermes has outperformed. This is consistent with mentions of the Birkin and Kelly bag maker in lyrics. It was the most referenced brand in 2021 and 2022, appearing in Cardi B's number one hit Up among others. Hermes was the most referenced brand in 2021 and 2022. This is consistent with mentions of the Birkin and Kelly bag maker in lyrics. PHOTO: ST After a dip in 2023, in line with many rivals, its mentions have bounced back, perhaps helped by the Birkin being featured in Shaboozey's A Bar Song (Tipsy), which spent 19 weeks atop the Hot 100 last year. It seems that whatever the bag touches turns to gold. Meanwhile, industry giant LVMH is facing its toughest year yet. Dior rode both the reinvention of the historic house and the rise of streetwear to almost quadruple sales to more than nine billion euros (S$13.5 billion) between 2018 and 2023, according to HSBC Research. It is now underperforming. Notwithstanding the release of the MK and Chrystal dance track in June, Dior's mentions in hip-hop and R&B have slumped since peaking in 2020. Given that it is LVMH's second-biggest brand by sales (excluding beauty retailer Sephora), this appears in LVMH's performance. Reassuringly for Arnault and LVMH investors, however, aside from a dip in 2023, mentions of Louis Vuitton have remained solid, including a name-check in Tyler, The Creator's 2024 hit song Sticky. This reflects the fact that while embracing sport, Louis Vuitton still strengthened its connection to music through the appointment of Pharrell Williams as creative director of menswear in February 2023. The relationship between music and luxury goes beyond the conglomerates, too. Gripes about excessive price rises from some consumers and a creative hiatus following the death of Karl Lagerfeld in 2019 precipitated a 4 per cent decline in sales at privately held Chanel Ltd last year. Yet in welcome news for Chanel's billionaire owners, the Wertheimer family, the brand was mentioned more frequently than its competitors in hip-hop and R&B music in 2023 — thanks in part to multiple hits by Nicki Minaj. It was quite a smart move when the house named Kendrick Lamar as a brand ambassador earlier this year, fresh off his Super Bowl half-time performance that sent searches for bootcut jeans soaring. (It'll be even more so if the house ever expands into menswear.) Chanel named Kendrick Lamar as a brand ambassador earlier this year, fresh off his Super Bowl half-time performance that sent searches for bootcut jeans soaring. PHOTO: REUTERS Prada's embrace by hip-hop and R&B stars has been more modest compared with other houses, but the brand appeared in several other chart-topping songs between 2020 and 2023. Ferrari Horses by D-Block Europe and Raye, which featured the house prominently, reached No 14 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021. In September 2022, Prada got another jolt, from Sam Smith and Kim Petras' No 1 Billboard Hot 100 smash Unholy, and also from Raye's Escapism, her breakout hit released the following month. In 2023, Ferrari Horses was remixed and simply renamed Prada, which reached No 5 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Electronica chart. In September 2022, Prada got a jolt from Sam Smith and Kim Petras' No 1 Billboard Hot 100 smash Unholy. But mentions of the brand in hip-hop and R&B have been negligible since 2023. IMAGE: CAPITOL/EMI During this period, Prada's sales growth was comparable to that of LVMH's fashion and leather goods business, with the Italian label outperforming its bigger rival in 2022 and 2024. But our analysis showed that Prada's mentions in hip-hop and R&B have been negligible since 2023. Given its embrace by artists a few years ago, Prada, which typically leans on art and food in its communications, might also consider enhancing its cultural relevance through music. 'Rollies that don't tick tock' It is not just handbags that have endured a boom and bust in music over the past five years. Pricey timepieces have also been on a rollercoaster ride. Think iced-out bling, and Rolex immediately springs to mind. It is an instantly recognisable shorthand for success. Yet our analysis shows that its inclusion in lyrics peaked in 2014. As mentions of Rolex declined, those of two other privately held manufacturers, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, took off. This can be traced back to the appointment of Francois-Henry Bennahmias as CEO of Audemars Piguet in 2013. A former professional golfer, he recognised the power of celebrity and enlisted a roster of stars to promote the brand. In the years that followed, Audemars Piguet popped up in lyrics alongside Patek Philippe. (Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe watches are more expensive and exclusive than many Rolexes.) Future, who name-checks luxury brands in more top-50 hip-hop and R&B songs than any other artist, mentions Audemars or Patek in more than 50 songs. Both brands get a nod in Life is Good, featuring Drake, which spent six months on the hip-hop and R&B chart in 2020. According to experts at secondary watch platform A Collected Man, Drake's mention of Patek is believed to reference a Nautilus 5726 – one of the watchmaker's flagship models – customised to a design by Abloh. Future, who name-checks luxury brands in more top-50 hip-hop and R&B songs than any other artist, mentions Audemars or Patek in more than 50 songs. IMAGE: FREEBANDZ/EPIC Yet demand for even Audemars and Patek as well as Richard Mille (at times condensed to 'Millie') has weakened. Another brand, Cartier, is not referenced as frequently as Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, but its inclusion in lyrics remained steady until this year. Tyler, the Creator is arguably the best-known collector of Cartier timepieces, encouraging a style shift from chunky sports models to more delicate pieces. As he says in Hot Wind Blows from 2021: 'The Cartier so light on my body, thought I floated here.' Such a move wasn't an accident. Former Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron, astutely capitalised on Gen Z's adoption of the jeweller, initially through its Love bangles. He relaunched some of its iconic watches, such as the Panthere, augmented with sometimes racy advertising. His foresight paid off, helping Cartier become one of the few brands to defy the downturn in the secondary watch market. Its popularity has also enabled parent Cie Financiere Richemont to outperform LVMH in both sales and share price over the past year. The lessons here? It pays to recognise when a brand is taking off and leaning into Gen-Z tastes. But houses must also know when to ease back, as Gucci learned the hard way. Richemont doesn't want Cartier and sister-brand Van Cleef & Arpels, famed for its lucky clover bracelets, becoming too ubiquitous. Cartier is not referenced as frequently as Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, but its inclusion in lyrics remained steady until this year. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG 'The new Bottega, my baby only wears couture' Our analysis underlines how badly luxury needs to reassert itself among younger consumers who draw inspiration from music. It's true that inflation in top-end goods is moderating, and that companies are also introducing more affordable products, such as beauty and fragrance. Labels are also finally shaking things up with a cadre of new talent: As well as Anderson at Dior and Demna at Gucci, Chanel has appointed Matthieu Blazy as its creative director. Kering houses Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta both have new designers, as do LVMH labels Loewe, Givenchy and Celine. But more must be done to win over disenfranchised shoppers and make owning top-end goods desirable again. The popularity of hit song Dior shows that the luxury fatigue that has weighed on sales may be reaching its nadir. With carefully crafted strategies, brands can seep into popular culture once more. If the track turns out to be the catalyst for the house's renaissance, that would be a strong signal for Arnault and the rest of the industry to turn the music up. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Britain's Princess Anne celebrates her 75th birthday
Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal and and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence arrive for the State Banquet for President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, on day one of the French President's state visit to the UK, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, Britain, July 8, 2025. Aaron Chown/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo LONDON - Princess Anne, the late Queen Elizabeth's only daughter and a former Olympic equestrian, turns 75 on Friday, with little fanfare planned in keeping with the royal's disdain for making a fuss. To mark the occasion, Buckingham Palace is releasing a new photograph of the horse-loving princess, who is often credited with being the hardest-working member of the British royal family. Born in 1950, two years after her brother, now King Charles, and two years before her mother would become monarch, Anne became renowned as a young princess for her rather brusque, plain-speaking public demeanour - reminiscent of her late father Prince Philip. But she went on to gain acclaim for her horse-riding triumphs, becoming Britain's first royal Olympian when she competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. More recently she has been lauded for her campaigning for domestic and international charities. A YouGov poll last week showed Anne was the third-most popular of the royals, just behind heir Prince William and his wife Kate, with 70% of those surveyed having a favourable view of her. While other members of the Windsor family have become staple tabloid fodder, Anne has eschewed the limelight although she was involved in one of the most dramatic royal events of modern times when an armed man attempted to kidnap her near Buckingham Palace in 1974. She said her calmness in dealing with the incident - she told her would-be assailant "Not bloody likely!" when he demanded that she get out of her car - was due to her experience with horses that had helped make her prepared for the unexpected. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 100 people being investigated for vape offences, say MOH and HSA Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council carries out restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Asia India and China work to improve ties amid Trump's unpredictability Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength Last year, she spent five nights in hospital after suffering concussion from an incident which involved a horse, but was back at work three weeks later. "She just keeps her head down the whole time, keeps working away and leaves others to worry about column inches," her son, Peter Phillips, said in a TV interview last year. REUTERS
