Paris (France) (AFP) – Italian designer Pierpaolo Piccioli has quit as creative director at Balenciaga, the fashion house’s parent company Kering said Thursday. Piccioli’s departure after just one and a half years on the job comes as Kering has shaken up management as it tries to turn around its struggling fashion conglomerate.
“We are deeply grateful for Pierpaolo’s contribution to Balenciaga,” Balenciaga’s chief executive Gianfranco Gianangeli said in a statement. “Through his vision, he reaffirmed the couture origins of the House, bringing his considered approach to craftsmanship, construction and creativity,” he added. Kering said new creative management would be announced soon.
“Our ambition is to build on Balenciaga’s avant garde spirit, honor its remarkable heritage and continue to push creative boundaries, further establishing the House as a powerful and relevant voice,” said Kering’s CEO Luca de Meo. De Meo, who has a reputation as a cost-cutter and turnaround specialist, took over in 2025 at Kering, which has struggled for years to turn around its leading fashion house, Gucci.
But Kering has recently shaken up management at its smaller houses, last month pushing out Anthony Vaccarello as creative director at Saint Laurent and Sean McGirr at Alexander McQueen. Piccioli took over at Balenciaga in May 2025 after spending 25 years at Valentino, with a mandate to turn a new chapter for Balenciaga following its years under Georgian designer Demna, who was known for his daring but sometimes controversial designs.
In a message on his Instagram channel that did not directly confirm his departure, Piccioli thanked those he worked with and supported him. “Couture requires time and attention; it demands conviction and courage,” the 59-year-old couturier wrote. “In the end, our identity and our values are the only things we truly own,” he added.
© 2024 AFP
