Pierpaolo Piccioli Announces His Departure From Valentino
The brand's longtime creative director announced he's ending his 25-year run at the helm of the Italian Maison.
Pierpaolo Piccioli, who has served as the creative director of Valentino for nearly two decades, has announced his departure from the brand. Since the very beginning of his time with the brand, where he first started as an accessories designer hand-selected by Valentino Garavani, Piccioli has pushed the boundary in the fashion world, and quickly rose up among the ranks to become creative director in 2008, a role he shared with Maria Grazia Chiuri until 2016, when she departed to take the helm of Dior's creative direction.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Pierpaolo for writing an important chapter in the history of the Maison Valentino." said Rachid Mohamed Rachid, chairman of Valentino. "His contribution over the past 25 years will leave an indelible mark,”
Of his departure from the brand, Piccioli wrote: “Not all stories have a beginning or an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines so bright that it won’t produce any shadows. 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."
During his time at Valentino, Piccioli was recognized for the youthful, invigorating spirit he brought to the brand, meshing its original ethos with his own visionary creativity. As an attempt to push Valentino into a new era, Piccioli also advocated for more diversity and inclusion within the fashion world, as seen in the Di.Vas initiative and his efforts to breach the typical pool of potential ambassadors and draw from the new vanguard of creative icons that have emerged in recent years. Among these are Lewis Hamilton, celebrated style icon and record-breaking F1 driver, and Suga, BTS' passionate rapper and highly driven creative member. Piccioli also famously incorporated new fashion elements into the House's signature style, including more streetwear-oriented designs, the beloved ultra-vibrant PP Pink shade, and more structured silhouettes.
“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." Piccioli said. "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 honor to share my journey, and my dreams, with you.”
At the time of Piccioli's departure, Valentino has not announced a successor to take the helm of the creative direction of the brand, but popular speculations that have emerged include Gucci's Alessandro Michele or possibly Chiuri, although both options are unlikely.
Piccioli signed the conclusion of his emotional Instagram post, "con amore, pp," signaling a decisive end to the long, groundbreaking Pierpaolo Piccioli era of Valentino and the start of a new epoch for the Italian Maison.
