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News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Maria Grazia Chiuri Leaves Dior After Nine Years, What's Next For The Luxury Brand?
Last Updated: After nine years, Maria Grazia Chiuri has stepped down from her role as the Creative Director at Dior. The French luxury fashion house has not announced a successor yet. French luxury fashion house Christian Dior's artistic director of womenswear Maria Grazia Chiuri has officially stepped down after nine years. Her departure comes months after industry speculation. She ended her tenure at Dior with a grand fashion show that was held at the historic Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome. Taking to her Instagram, Maria Grazia Chiuri reflected on her nine-year tenure at Dior. She penned a note on her departure. She wrote, '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 realise my vision of committed women's fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written a remarkable and impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud." Take a look at the note shared by Maria here. Maria took the creative helm at Dior in 2016 after her time at Valentino. She played a pivotal role in reshaping the house's image and offerings to better align with the lives of contemporary women. Under her direction, Dior diversified its accessories portfolio, moving beyond its long-standing dependence on the Lady Dior handbag. New icons such as the Book Tote and the Bobby Camera Bag emerged, alongside revived seasonal editions of the Saddle Bag, originally designed by John Galliano. Her creative vision extended well beyond clothing. Her shows, often held in evocative global settings like India and Mexico, celebrated artisanal craftsmanship and wove in strong feminist messaging. From the soft tailoring that subtly challenged traditional corsets to bold declarations like the 'We Should All Be Feminists' T-shirt, her collections championed a thoughtful blend of beauty and advocacy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dior Official (@dior) top videos View all While the brand has not officially announced its new creative director, Reuters mentioned that Jonathan Anderson is widely speculated to be the frontrunner to succeed Maria. Best known for his transformative work at Loewe, he is expected to debut as the brand's menswear artistic director on June 27 at the Paris Fashion Week. This transition comes at a time when the luxury fashion industry is grappling with a global slowdown, prompting a wave of creative changes at some of its most storied houses, including Chanel, Gucci, and Balenciaga. While Chiuri's next chapter remains under wraps, she continues to invest in the arts. Currently, she is dedicating her efforts to restoring Rome's Teatro della Cometa, a historic 233-seat theatre she acquired in 2020, signalling her enduring commitment to culture and craftsmanship beyond the runway. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: May 30, 2025, 10:30 IST News lifestyle Maria Grazia Chiuri Leaves Dior After Nine Years, What's Next For The Luxury Brand?
Vogue Singapore
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue Singapore
Maria Grazia Chiuri to exit Dior
It's the end of an era. After a nine-year run as Dior's creative director of women's haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections, Maria Grazia Chiuri is leaving the French luxury house. '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.
Emirates Woman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Emirates Woman
Maria Grazia Chiuri leaves Dior after 9 years
Just two days after a poignant cruise show in Rome—where models walked with covered faces—Dior announces the departure of its groundbreaking first female creative director. Who will take the reins? The fashion world was left stunned today as Dior announced the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri, its first female creative director, after nearly a decade at the helm. The news comes just two days after her final show—the 2026 Cruise presentation in Rome—a deeply personal homecoming that now feels like a silent, symbolic farewell. Chiuri's last show for Dior was held in her hometown of Rome, marking the first time she brought the maison's runway to the Italian capital during her tenure. Yet, what seemed like a celebration now carries an air of mystery: models walked with their faces obscured by veils and draped fabrics, a hauntingly poetic choice that may have been an unintentional sign of her impending exit. Was this a subtle nod to her departure? A reflection on identity, legacy, or the transient nature of fashion? Only Chiuri knows—but the timing is undeniably poignant. Appointed in 2016, Chiuri made history as Dior's first female creative director, bringing a feminist lens to the storied French house. Her tenure was defined by elegant silhouettes, revived icons like the Saddle Bag, and slogan tees declaring 'We Should All Be Feminists.' Under her leadership, Dior became a beacon of modern femininity, blending tradition with progressive ideals. Before Dior, she spent 17 years at Valentino, shaping its romantic aesthetic alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli. Her exit now leaves another major fashion house in transition, following Piccioli's own departure from Valentino earlier this year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dior Official (@dior) What's Next for Dior? With Chiuri's exit and Kim Jones' departure from Dior Men's earlier this year, the maison faces a pivotal moment of reinvention. No successor has been named, sparking industry-wide speculation: Will Dior return to a bold, avant-garde vision like John Galliano's era? Or will it continue Chiuri's refined, feminist approach with a new voice? In her farewell statement, Chiuri expressed gratitude, saying: 'Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.' As the fashion world awaits Dior's next move, one thing is certain: Maria Grazia Chiuri's legacy is indelible—and her final, enigmatic show will be remembered as a moment of quiet, powerful closure. – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram
Nahar Net
3 days ago
- Business
- Nahar Net
Maria Grazia Chiuri exits Dior, capping transformative era for Paris fashion behemoth
by Naharnet Newsdesk 29 May 2025, 15:56 Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman ever to lead Dior's women's collections, announced Thursday she is stepping down as creative director after nine years at the storied French fashion house. The Italian designer confirmed her departure in an Instagram post, capping a transformative era defined by bold feminist messaging, record sales and industry-defining collections. Chiuri, 60, leaves behind a legacy that reshaped Dior's creative direction and broadened its global appeal. Since her arrival in 2016, she steered Dior through a golden era of commercial and cultural success. Revenues reportedly rose by nearly $8 billion from 2017 to 2023 as Chiuri's vision of empowered femininity resonated with a new generation of clients. "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," she said in the post. "Together, we have written a remarkable and impactful chapter, of which I am immensely proud." The fashion house said Chiuri "redefined the identity and femininity of the Dior woman, celebrated and reimagined the iconic heritage and savoir-faire." LVMH executive Delphine Arnault thanked Chiuri for her "tremendous work," saying she had "an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior." Chiuri designed "highly desirable collections (and) has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior," Arnault added, noting she was the first woman to design the women's collections. Chiuri's debut for Spring 2017 made headlines with "We Should All Be Feminists" T-shirts, declaring a new era for Dior. She brought activism to the runway, collaborating with artists like Judy Chicago and Faith Ringgold. She revived icons such as the Saddle Bag and made space for women's voices, drawing on Dior's past while rewriting its aesthetic. Her shows spanned continents, from Mumbai to Kyoto, each celebrating craft and community. Chiuri's last collection, Resort 2026, was staged in her native Rome at Villa Torlonia, evoking the spirit of Italian cinema, and accompanied by a film from director Matteo Garrone. Dior has not yet named a successor, but speculation centers on Jonathan Anderson, who recently took over Dior's men's collections. Chiuri departs as the first woman to helm Dior since its founding in 1947, having rewritten the rules and opened the door for a new chapter at one of fashion's most influential maisons. Her departure is part of a long string of creative shakeups at major fashion houses, that includes Pierpaolo Piccioli's recent appointment as creative director at Balenciaga. Chiuri and Piccioli were for a time co-creative directors at Valentino.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Maria Grazia Chiuri exits Dior, capping transformative era for the Paris fashion behemoth
PARIS (AP) — Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to lead Dior's women's collections, announced Thursday she is stepping down as creative director after nine years at the storied French fashion house. The Italian designer confirmed her long-rumored departure in an Instagram post, capping a transformative era defined by bold feminist messaging, record sales and industry-defining collections. '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,″ Chiuri wrote. 'Together, we have written a remarkable and impactful chapter, of which I am immensely proud.' Chiuri, 60, leaves behind a legacy that reshaped Dior's creative direction and broadened its global appeal. Since her arrival in 2016, she steered Dior through a golden era of commercial and cultural success. Revenue reportedly rose by nearly $8 billion from 2017 to 2023 as Chiuri's vision of empowered femininity resonated with a new generation of clients. The house itself credited Chiuri with nothing less than redefining "the identity and femininity of the Dior woman, celebrated and reimagined the iconic heritage and savoir-faire.' Delphine Arnault, the LVMH executive who oversees Dior, paid tribute to Chiuri's 'tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior.' Chiuri, Arnault added, not only designed 'highly desirable collections' but 'has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior' — a chapter that will forever be marked by the milestone of her being the first woman to lead the women's collections. Chiuri's debut for Spring 2017 made headlines with 'We Should All Be Feminists' T-shirts, declaring a new era for Dior. She brought activism to the runway, collaborating with artists like Judy Chicago and Faith Ringgold. She revived icons such as the Saddle Bag and made space for women's voices, drawing on Dior's past while rewriting its aesthetic. Chiuri departs as the first woman to lead Dior since its founding in 1947, having redefined the house's codes and left the door open for a new chapter at one of fashion's most influential brands. Her exit comes amid a broader series of creative shakeups across the industry. Pierpaolo Piccioli, her former co-creative director at Valentino, was recently named artistic director of Balenciaga. Meanwhile, Matthieu Blazy, who stepped down from Bottega Veneta last year, will debut at Chanel this fall, succeeding Virginie Viard — whose unceremonious departure shocked the industry. The moves reflect a period of transition for major fashion houses as they adapt to shifting consumer expectations, slower luxury growth, and the demands of a digital-first market. At least half a dozen top houses have changed creative leadership in the past year alone in a sign of the mounting pressure on designers to deliver both artistic vision and commercial results in an increasingly unstable landscape. Her shows spanned continents, from Mumbai to Kyoto, each celebrating craft and community. But for her final collection, Resort 2026, Chiuri returned home to Rome — staging the show at Villa Torlonia, enveloping her guests in ritual white, and invoking the spirit of Italian cinema with a film by Matteo Garrone. The choice of her native city, paired with the all-white dress code, signaled a deliberate full-circle moment; an intimate farewell and a subtle hint that Chiuri was preparing to close her chapter at Dior.
