Kering has announced the appointment of Pierpaolo Piccioli as the new Creative Director of Balenciaga, effective July 10, 2025. He succeeds Georgian designer Demna, who was recognised for his dystopian design aesthetic, luxury sneakers and drop-shoulder hoodies.
Pierpaolo Piccioli Appointed Creative Director Of Balenciaga
An alumnus of Rome’s Istituto Europeo di Design, and master of Haute Couture, Pierpaolo Piccioli began his career with a 10-year tenure at Fendi alongside Maria Grazia Chiuri. In 1999, they joined Valentino as accessory designers and are credited with revamping the luxury fashion brand’s handbag and eyewear collections. The duo were put in charge of designing the brand’s diffusion line ‘Red Valentino’ in 2003, and later oversaw its entire accessories line. Shortly after Valentino Garavani’s retirement in 2008, Chiuri and Piccioli were appointed co-creative directors. During this time, “they modernised its couture DNA to fit the contemporary consumer and boosted annual revenue to $1 billion in 2015,” per BoF. After Chiuri’s exit, Piccioli continued on his own till 2024.
At Balenciaga, Piccioli will build on the strengths and success achieved by the brand under Demna’s creative direction, and in continuity with the legacy of founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. “Balenciaga is what it is today thanks to all the people who have paved the way. In all its phases, while constantly evolving and changing, it has never lost track of the House’s aesthetic values. What I am receiving is a brand full of possibilities that is incredibly fascinating,” he says. “I must first and foremost thank Demna; I’ve always admired his talent and vision. I couldn’t ask for a better passing of the torch. This gives me the chance to shape a new version of the Maison, adding another chapter with a new story.”
“I couldn’t be happier to welcome Pierpaolo to the Group. He is one of the most talented and celebrated designers of today. His mastery of Haute Couture, his creative voice, and his passion for savoir-faire made him the ideal choice for the House,” said Francesca Bellettini, Kering Deputy CEO in charge of Brand Development. “I would also like to sincerely thank Demna for the bold, distinctive vision he brought to Balenciaga over the past ten years, shaping the House’s identity in the contemporary era.”
“I’m excited to begin this new era at Balenciaga with Pierpaolo. His creative vision will thrive, and he will perfectly interpret the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, building on the House’s bold creativity, rich heritage and strong culture,” added Balenciaga CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli. “With the expertise of our teams and the dynamic creative energy that has historically driven Balenciaga, I look forward to what we will build together.”
The first Balenciaga collection under Pierpaolo Piccioli’s creative direction will be unveiled in October 2025, during Paris Fashion Week.
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About Balenciaga
Founded by Spanish-born Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1917 and established in Paris in 1937, the original house of Balenciaga defined modern couture with its many innovations to form and technique. Today it continues to uphold the vision of the House through boundary-pushing collections including women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, accessories, and objets d’art. The brand’s unprecedented interactions with the expanding digital realm, material developments, and today’s social responsibilities keep it at the forefront of modernity. In 2021, Balenciaga’s 50th couture collection – the house’s first since its founder retired in 1968 – reintroduces a standard of cutting-edge elegance.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
