May 29, 2025 |
After nine years, Maria Grazia Chiuri is stepping down as creative director of Dior.
In a statement released to the press Chiuri said, “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 an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”
“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.”
Seeing her start studying at Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome, Chiuri was named co-creative director of Valentino alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli in 2008. The pair had worked at Fendi together for 10 years before joining Valentino in 1999. First appointed by Mr Valentino Garavani to expand the maison’s accessories department, they would take charge of the brand less than a decade later, bringing a youthful, energetic spin to Valentino’s ready-to-wear. Moving to the helm of Dior in July 2016 as the very first woman to be named creative director, Chiuri’s vision for the storied French house was deeply rooted in uplifting and celebrating women. “My idea was that, step by step, I can do this to create a community,” she told 10. “I think the representation of women has to be done and voiced by women, to promote the female gaze, because it is a different point of view. Together we can show different women artists, photographers, singers, because I think it is beautiful to work together but also [I want] to give another voice an opportunity to talk about femininity.” One of her most memorable female-focussed moments was her Dior debut, wherein a series of T-shirts blared “We Should All Be Feminists” in reference to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay of the same name. Paired with flowing tulle skirts and leather berets, the shirts made a viral impact amongst internet-browsers and fash fans alike in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s first inauguration to the presidency and the rise of the Me Too movement. “My first collection surprised people,” she said. “They thought Maria Grazia comes from Valentino. She is very romantic. There will be a collection with flowers. But honestly, I think we can do flowers, that’s not a problem, but to speak about femininity is another story today, with or without flowers.”
In 2017, Chiuri was honoured at the British Fashion Awards with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change, which acknowledged her commitment to gender equality, female empowerment and social activism within the fashion industry.
Beyond that, Chiuri catalysed a succession of collaborations with female artists during her tenure. This included Faith Ringgold, who created a large-scale textile installation for the SS24 ready-to-wear show, and Mickalene Thomas, who reimagined Dior’s haute couture through a Black feminist lens for the AW23 couture collection, amongst many others. “In the past there was an idea of fashion that wanted to impose rules on women but all through my career, I have given [women] options. There is a story [I am] telling about femininity, but there are many ways to be feminine,” she said. “My work is dedicated to women in a way that has to be wearable and has to be light, to help them to enjoy [life].”
Seemingly struck with wanderlust, Chiuri’s Dior was also one for jet setting and showing collections in cities far and wide. In 2019, Chiuri brought the fashion pack to Marrakech, where she presented the cruise collection inside the grand El Badi Palace, fusing Dior’s heritage with traditional Moroccan craftsmanship. This was followed by the cruise 2020 show in Lecce, Italy, which paid homage to Chiuri’s own Puglian roots, and then the cruise 2022 show in Athens, where she reinterpreted Grecian drapery through a contemporary lens.
Then, decamping to Mumbai for the pre-fall 2023 show, she spotlighted India’s rich artisanal heritage by collaborating with the Chanakya School of Craft, showcasing intricate embroidery and handwoven textiles by local artisans. A hard hitter was the cruise 2025 show in Scotland, which transformed Drummond Castle into a high-fashion haven littered with tartan-clad models, traditional Scottish knitwear and dramatic outerwear that paid tribute to the country’s sartorial history. “Mr Dior’s idea was to create a worldwide brand… He started to travel around the world to do his collections and at the time this was not so usual,” she says of the house founder’s pioneering habit of taking his fashion shows on the road. Chiuri honoured and expanded on this legacy, ensuring each destination reflected and engaged with its local culture rather than merely using it as a backdrop.
Chiuri also brought a sports sensibility to Dior, imbuing its elegant couture legacy with an unexpected athleisure influence. “It was important to me to introduce this idea of ‘sport couture’ and mix street style with couture pieces,” she said, referencing the evolution of modern femininity in fashion. In the AW22 collection, for example, this manifested as bodysuits layered under bar jackets, futuristic corsetry inspired by fencing gear and functional-yet-decorative harnesses that redefined Dior’s classic silhouettes. “Dior represents tradition, quality, craftsmanship. It’s the DNA of the brand, but you have to renovate this DNA with other values for the future,” she told 10.
In her final months at Dior, Chiuri unveiled a deeply personal project in her native Rome: the restoration of the historic Teatro della Cometa. This effort, a five-year journey led by Chiuri and her family, was inspired by Countess Anna Laetitia Pecci Blunt, the woman who originally commissioned the theatre in 1958. Chiuri sees Pecci Blunt – an artist and patron of the arts – as a model of how women can drive cultural innovation. By reviving the Teatro della Cometa, Chiuri is not only restoring an important piece of Roman heritage but also giving space to the artistic legacy of women, ensuring their voices continue to resonate in the city’s cultural landscape. An intimate venue, she envisions it as a hub for interdisciplinary performance and a celebration of female artistic legacies.
Chiuri’s final show for the house was her cruise 2026 collection, held on Tuesday at Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome. Chiuri’s hometown, it truly was a full circle moment for a collection rooted in the grandeur of costume and the theatre.
While she was at the helm of the house, Dior revenues quadrupled from 2.2 billion euros in sales in 2017 to 8.7 billion euros in 2024, according to HSBC estimates.
Chiuri’s successor at Dior is yet to be announced, with the rumour mill already bubbling with guesses as to where she’s headed next.
Photography courtesy of Christian Dior.
