Pierpaolo Piccioli is leaving Valentino after two decades

Pierpaolo Piccioli, the Italian creative director of Valentino, is parting ways with the Roman house after over two decades, it was announced this afternoon.

‘Not all stories have a beginning and an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines with an intense light, so strong that it leaves no shadows,’ said Piccioli in a statement issued by the house.

Pierpaolo Piccioli to exit Valentino

‘Everything existed and exists thanks to the people I have met, with whom I have worked,’ he continued. ‘I carry this heritage of love, dreams, beauty and humanity with me, today and forever.’

Piccioli first entered Valentino in 1999 alongside former collaborator Maria Grazia Chiuri, having previously worked in Fendi’s accessories department. A successful working relationship with Chiuri – who is now creative director of Dior womenswear – saw the pair take over from Alessandra Facchinetti in 2009, beginning a critically lauded and commercially successful era at the brand (advents like the ‘Rockstud’ accessories range became ubiquitous, and are still produced today).

Though it was Chiuri’s exit in 2016 which saw Piccioli become one of fashion’s leading contemporary voices. An astute use of colour and dramatic, abundant silhouettes – particularly in his haute couture collections – made for some of the most memorable runway shows of the last decade. Perhaps chief among them was a couture show which took place on the Spanish Steps in Rome in 2022, the first time the landmark had every staged such an event. When it came to casting, Piccioli was an avid proponent of runway diversity. He was also devoted to his atelier, with his haute couture collections seeing each dress named after the artisan who created it.

His work during his solo tenure would become a regular fixture on the red carpet and he would take home numerous awards and plaudits, including a Fashion Award for Designer of the Year. Other memorable moments included an entirely pink collection (titled Pink PP, which got its own Pantone colour), while in a dramatic shift – and perhaps in a hint of what was to come – his A/W 2024 collection (seen in our Paris Fashion Week A/W 2024 highlights), shown in February, was entirely black. It will be his last.

‘I am grateful to Pierpaolo for his role as creative director and for his vision, commitment and creativity that have brought the Maison Valentino to what it stands for today,’ said Valentino chief executive officer Jacopo Venturini said in a statement.

A successor is yet to be announced, though Valentino says his replacement will be revealed ‘soon’.

valentino.com