Maria Grazia Chiuri, the pioneering Italian designer who broke the glass ceiling as the first woman to helm Dior’s women’s collections, has revealed that she is leaving the brand. The decision brings an end to a nine-year stint that not only revolutionised Dior’s creative strategy but propelled the label to unprecedented commercial and cultural heights.
In an Instagram announcement of her departure, Chiuri looked back on nearly a decade at the fashion house, one that promoted feminist values and honoured women’s creativity. “Together, we have written a remarkable and impactful chapter,” she declared, thanking her atelier teams whose hands raised her vision for “committed women’s fashion” to life.
Chiuri took the helm in 2016 and brought a new vision to Dior, balancing tradition with forward-thinking vision. Her first collection for Spring 2017 rocked the world with its now-famous “We Should All Be Feminists” T-shirt—a mission statement that would become the hallmark of future seasons. She subsequently partnered with feminist artists like Judy Chicago and Faith Ringgold, merging activism and art into the realm of luxury fashion.
During her tenure, Dior saw a financial boom, with reported revenues growing by almost US $ 8 billion from 2017 to 2023. Chiuri reimagined house staples such as the Saddle Bag, and her runway shows—from Mumbai to Kyoto—highlighted international craftsmanship and community. Her last show, the Resort 2026 collection, was held in Rome’s Villa Torlonia and honoured Italian cinema, complete with a short film directed by renowned filmmaker Matteo Garrone.
Dior CEO and Bernard Arnault’s daughter Delphine Arnault complimented Chiuri on her “exceptional creativity” and “empowering feminist point of view,” stating that she “redrew the identity and femininity of the Dior woman”.
A successor has not yet been named, but industry speculation points toward Jonathan Anderson, who recently took over Dior’s men’s collections. Chiuri’s departure follows a wave of creative shifts across major luxury labels, including the recent appointment of her former Valentino co-director Pierpaolo Piccioli at Balenciaga.
As the first female artistic director at Dior since its establishment in 1947, Chiuri leaves a permanent mark—not only on the house’s heritage, but on fashion’s changing relationship with power, politics, and today’s woman.
