Maria Grazia Chiuri to leave Dior

Introduction to Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Departure

A successor still has to be announced following the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri. This news comes after Jonathan Anderson was appointed the artistic director of the men’s collection in April and Kim Jones, who ended his tenure in January.

Background and Career

The Italian designer started her career in Fendi in 1989 as a handbag designer and in 1999 moved to Valentino as an accessory designer before being promoted to co-creative director in 2008. She was appointed by Dior in 2016, becoming the first female designer of the house founded in 1947, following in the footsteps of John Galliano and Raf Simons.

Debut Collection and Feminist Tone

In her debut collection for Spring/Summer 2017, inspired by fences, Chiuri included slogan T-shirts with the inscription "We should all be feminists." This set the tone for her term, which consistently referenced the empowerment of women. "The news really is that there is no kind of woman," she stated. Over the years, Chiuri has worked with several artists for show sets, including Judy Chicago, Faith Ringgold, Eva Jospin, and Mickalene Thomas. In the Dior SS25 Show, the Italian artist and competitive archer Sergio Napoli shot arrows at a destination as models made their circuit.

Drawing from Archives

Chiuri was also consistently based on the archives beyond Christian Dior’s era. “Only Monsieur Dior [lived] 10 years. It can’t just be about him!" she said. "In a way, I see myself as a curator of the house." For example, in 2018, together with CEO Pietro Beccari, who was appointed in 2017, she restarted the saddle bag, one of the legendary pockets of the house from the Galliano era. For AW24, she paid homage to Marc Bohan’s invention of the Miss Dior Line and in particular to the opening of a (now no longer existing) Miss Dior Boutique in 1967 to get couture customers ready. "I am very fascinated by this collection and this moment from Mr. Bohan’s story." The Dior AW25 show had "Dior Ismen," including nods to Galliano’s saddle bag and J’adore Dior T-Shirts and Gianfranco Ferré’s white shirts.

Conclusion

Maria Grazia Chiuri poses with models behind the stage in the show of Dior Resort 2026, marking a moment in her journey with the house. Her legacy at Dior will be remembered for its strong feminist tone and creative exploration of the house’s archives.