PIERPAOLO PICCIOLI IS LEAVING VALENTINO
Pierpaolo Piccioli is leaving Valentino.
In a statement released to the press, the designer wrote: “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.
“This heritage of love, dreams, beauty and humanity, I carry it with me, today and forever. This is the beauty that we have created: life, hope, opportunity and gratitude, and my people, my heart, and the love that gives you all the possibilities of the world, especially those that you could not imagine alone. Thanks to Mr. Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti who have blessed me with their trust, thanks to every single person who made this possible in one way or another, it was a privilege and an honour to share my journey, and my dreams, with you.”
Piccioli was named co-creative director of Valentino alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri 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.
When Grazia Chirui joined Dior in 2016, Piccioli would continue at the helm alone. In the years that followed, the designer would establish himself as one of fashion’s greatest colourists and would establish the brand as one of luxury’s most inclusive players. His spring/summer couture 2019 collection stands out as one of the designer’s standout moments for its diverse casting.
Thanks to Piccioli, haute couture found new relevancy in a younger audience. Fashion’s most elitist arm, in Piccioli’s hands, became a place of celebration for humanity on a broader scale. His SS22 couture collection was famously cast on a variety of models of different sizes and ages, while he was one of the first designers to bring men’s couture to the runway in 2021. The 56-year-old was also lauded for his democratic approach to showing his collections, often inviting students to attend his catwalks and bringing out his atelier to take his final bow alongside him on numerous occasions.
“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 Jacopo Venturini, CEO Valentino.
“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,” added Rachid Mohamed Rachid, chairman of Valentino.
The next Valentino creative director is yet to be announced.
Photography courtesy of Valentino.
