Maria Grazia Chiuri Exits Dior

4

It’s the end of an era at Dior! Maria Grazia Chiuri is parting ways with the French brand as its creative director, as shared in a press release this morning. She held the role since July 2016.

“After nine years, I am leaving Dior, delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity,” Chiuri said in a statement. “I would like to thank Monsieur Arnault for placing his trust in me and Delphine [Arnault] for her support. I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the Ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realize my vision of committed women’s fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”

During Chiuri’s tenure, the house of Dior’s haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections took a specifically minimal approach. Her viral first collection for Spring 2017 featured a more casual take on the French brand’s house codes, filled with graphic T-shirts, tulle skirts, and motorcycle jackets—plus plenty of biker boots and sneakers. That same view on the modern woman’s way of dress continued throughout the seasons, with Chiuri often dipping into Dior’s archives for inspiration. Notable standouts included her popular Book tote and J’Adior pumps, re-released in a massive range of colors, textiles, and sizes over the years, as well as the 30 Montaigne and Bobby crossbodies, Dway slides, and revival of the Dior Saddle bag (originally launched by John Galliano in 1999). As Chiuri was Dior’s first female creative director, she also used her role at the house to champion female artists, with collections surrounded by artwork from creatives including Rathika Merchant, Isabella Ducrot, Joanna Vasconcelos, and more.

Within her haute couture collections, Chiuri’s designs took a decidedly more bohemian spin. Gauzy and sheer draped dresses frequently appeared, as well as creations made with delicate lace, floral embroidery, and heavy beadwork. Inspirations ranged from fairy tales and folklore to Alice in Wonderland, tarot cards, the circus, and more.

In addition to Dior’s artistic collaborations, Chiuri emphasized female strength and representation with a wide roster of celebrities. Under her tenure, Dior inducted a wide range of dynamic talents as muses, campaign stars, and ambassadors, including Anya Taylor-Joy, Jisoo, Yseult, Ashley Park, Rosamund Pike, Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Willow Smith, Alexandra Daddario, and more—and continued its longtime relationships with stars like Rihanna, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, and Jennifer Lawrence.

Chiuri specifically included white hues in each of her collections to further emphasize garment construction, notably seen in her final runway show for the brand this week. Inspired by Chiuri’s hometown of Rome—where the collection was also presented—her Cruise 2026 line included a range of haute couture pieces, sparking rumors of a potential departure online. However, the same murmurs have swirled since Dior’s earlier creative shifts this year, when Kim Jones stepped down as creative director of Dior Men in January and was succeeded in April by Jonathan Anderson. Though Chiuri’s departure closes a major chapter at Dior, the brand and the designer are parting on good terms.

“I extend my warmest thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who, since her arrival at Dior, has accomplished tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections,” said Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, in a statement. “She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections.”

Chiuri’s next move—and who will succeed her at Dior—remains unknown at this time.

Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest fashion news and juicy industry gossip.