The revolution in the European fashionworld continues. After the arrival of Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia at Gucci and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga, as well as the departure of Donatella Versace, who sold the historic brand to the Prada group, a new change of chair has been announced by Dior today.
Italian artistic director Maria Grazia Chiri is leaving the French maison of the LVMH group after nine years.
“After nine years I am leaving Dior. I am delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity. Together we have written a great page of which I am immensely proud,” Chiuri wrote in a note released on Thursday.
The designer presented her latest collection on Tuesday in Rome in the gardens of Villa Albani. The fashion show was celebrated with a standing ovation and drew rave reviews from the press.
“I express my heartfelt thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who, since her arrival at Dior, has done an extraordinary job with a stimulating feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all permeated by the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which has allowed her to design collections of great prestige. She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, contributing significantly to its extraordinary growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections,” wrote Christian Dior Couture president and CEO Delphine Arnault on the fashion house’s X account.
It has not yet been announced who will replace Chiuri at the helm of the brand, but it is likely to be Jonathan Anderson, who replaced Kim Jones at the helm of Dior Homme since April. He could become the first designer to lead both the men’s and women’s collections of the Parisian fashion house.