Pierpaolo Piccioli Steps Down as Creative Director of Valentino
What does it mean for the industry and the brand?
On Friday 22, Pierpaolo Piccioli announced his departure from the Rome-based label Valentino. “I’ve been in this company for 25 years, and for 25 years I’ve existed and I’ve lived with the people who have woven the weaves of this beautiful story that is mine and ours,” Piccioli said. "I carry this heritage of love, dreams, beauty, and humanity with me, today and forever," he added.
The Italian designer known as one of the Barbiecore propagators, an emphasizer of the hard work of skilled artisans, devotee of vibrant colors and daring volumes, was acclaimed by many fashion enthusiasts, industry experts, and even Valentino's chiefs. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Pierpaolo for writing an important chapter in the history of the Maison Valentino. His contribution over the past 25 years will leave an indelible mark,” stated Rachid Mohamed Rachid, chairman of Valentino.
Piccioli's sudden departure from Valentino caught fashionistas by surprise. But this shock seems to have less to do with the designer and more with the current state of the industry. Even in an industry where the designer's game chair is no secret and is always on-going, – see Dries Van Noten retiring from his namesake label, and Givenchy not naming any designer to succeed Matthew Williams yet – no one predicted Piccioli's departure from Valentino. After all, it has been 25 years since the designer entered the Valentino realm.
But his experience in the industry is far older than that. After graduating from high school, Pierpaolo Piccioli entered the Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome. In 1990, he began working on Fendi's accessory line. It was at Fendi that Piccioli first worked with Maria Grazia Chiuri for a decade. In 1999, Valentino Garavani appointed the duo to develop the accessories category of his label. The renovation of this department marked the start of a new adventure. The pair should continue the long heritage of Valentino Couture while innovating and bringing a fresh vision.
In all senses, the attempt proved to be rewarding. The boost was such that in 2008, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri were nominated Valentino’s Creative Directors, replacing Facchinetti. Valentino has become more diverse and inclusive, distancing itself from its exclusive past. Within a few years, the label emerged as a fashion reference and a success on the international stage.
Then in July 2016, Piccioli was appointed as Valentino 's sole creative director, following Maria Grazia Chiuri departure to join Dior. This marked the start of a new era for the Italian brand. Piccioli described the new direction of Valentino after Chiuri's departure as a personal yet unanimous human narrative of a story that has yet to be written.
And this story was built on innovation. Audacious volumes and colors were incorporated into the label's universe. From the trendsetting PP Pink's new Pantone shade to the new younger spirit brought to the Maison, Piccioli’s Valentino was based on courage.
Contrary to European stereotypes, the designer cast Adut Akech and Anwar Hadid for the Valentino Born in Roma fragrance. As for brand ambassadors, a diverse line of stars such as Florence Pugh, Suga, and Lewis Hamilton are part of the V team. Other celebrities are loyal to Valentino, such as Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga,Celine Dion, and Jennifer Lopez.
Piccoli's designs even ended up at the Met Gala. From the yellow jumpsuit and teal cape Frances McDormand wore for the 2018 Met Gala to the off-white dress and camellia floral cape in Rihanna at the 2023 ball, the designer was responsible for some of the most talked-about looks of the nights.
Besides the streetwear and ready-to-wear collections the designer is known for, his focus has always been couture. “To me, couture is an instrument to say in an even louder way what I believe in, what I stand for,” he said. “Couture is pure as a process, as an approach, so when you generate attention with couture, it can have a bigger impact than with other means of expression.”
Using Haute Couture Week to make statements, his latest collections have clear messages conveyed. In the Fall/Winter 2022 couture show, set on the Spanish Steps in Rome, the designer aimed to exemplify societal changes. “There were guys wearing feminine dresses and more than 40 Black girls. In such a symbolic Italian city, it was going against every wave of xenophobia and homophobia…it was a big ‘fuck you’ to a traditional kind of beauty, to all the conservatism, the reactionaries of the moment. It was about giving a stage—a big, institutional stage—to people who are not usually allowed to be in such a central space of fashion,” Piccioli revealed to W magazine.
In couture Spring/Summer 2022, his goal was to create a collection that reminisces the richness and variety of the modern world. While promoting an idea of beauty that is not absolute, the creative director does not cast one single and idealized model but various women with diverse body structures and ages. On a similar route, Valentino L’École Spring/Summer 2024 collection was about the female body as a symbol of freedom and emancipation. From FKA Twigs choreography to the pieces that highlight the female frame, Piccioli hosted a warm and vibrant celebration.
Among many other notes, the Fall/Winter 2023 collection highlights itself. In this collection, Piccioli transforms the black tie, a symbol of masculinity into an emancipating meaning. With its traditional concept questioned, the designer features various models with mini skirts and suits, redefining the meaning of black tie fully.
A journey marked by innovation, diversity, and experimentation, is surely going to be missed. It's hard to imagine how Valentino will function sans him. But it can also be exciting to see a new vision on the label.
While it's certain that a new creative director for the house will be revealed soon, rumors start to emerge in advance. According to WWD former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele is said to be negotiating a contract with Maison Valentino. Another listed name is Maria Grazia Chiuri, who is rumored to be at Valentino or Fendi. Following Piccioli’s exit on Friday, Valentino shared it will not present its menswear and Haute Couture fashion shows in June.
Little is known about Piccioli's future. While WWD shares that sources speculate his entering at Balenciaga to succeed Demna, or at Givenchy, now designed by a team after the exit of Matthew M. Williams, nothing has been clarified yet. The only certainty is that the designer’s chair game won't stop any soon.