Pierpaolo Piccioli is stepping down as creative director of Balenciaga, parent company Kering announced on Thursday. The new creative direction of Balenciaga will be announced shortly, the release said.
“Pierpaolo is an exceptional couturier and creative talent for whom we have the greatest respect,” Kering CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement. “Our ambition is to build on Balenciaga’s avant-garde spirit, honor its remarkable heritage and continue to push creative boundaries, further establishing the house as a powerful and relevant voice.”
“We are deeply grateful for Pierpaolo’s contribution to Balenciaga,” Balenciaga CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli said. “Through his vision, he reaffirmed the couture origins of the house, bringing his considered approach to craftsmanship, construction and creativity. I would like to sincerely thank him for his dedication, generosity and collaboration.”
Piccioli’s appointment at Balenciaga in May 2025 came a year after the Italian designer exited Valentino, where he spent 25 years. His appointment at Balenciaga became effective in July 2025, following the final couture show of his predecessor, Demna.
Piccioli’s appointment at Balenciaga in May 2025 came a year after the Italian designer exited Valentino, where he spent 25 years. His appointment at Balenciaga became effective in July 2025, following the final couture show of his predecessor, Demna.
Piccioli’s first collection for Balenciaga was presented during Paris Fashion Week last October as one of more than a dozen designer debuts for the Spring 2026 season. Piccioli’s star-studded show, staged at the Kering headquarters inside the historic Laennec landmark, drew on founder Cristóbal Balenciaga’s rich archives with a more proper approach than Demna. Homages to the latter came in the form of oversized glasses, a bomber jacket turned into a leather bubble, and an enormous white shirt so voluminous it extended into a train. It received measured praise.
The reception to his sophomore show in March was more mixed. “Piccioli’s significant talents have always included the ability to spread joy and delight through his exuberant color sense and love of women’s intellect. It didn’t show up in the dark this season, but he should know the fashion world still craves to see it,” Vogue Runway’s Sarah Mower wrote. His mastery of color came through in his debut couture show for Balenciaga in July.
In her review of his SS27 show in October, Mower wrote: “He’s needed to figure out where he stands between the monumental Cristóbal couture legacy and the monumental Demna social satirist street-style legacy, and to do so in real time. That’s no easy task for anyone, no matter how experienced they may be.” She added: “There were many other moments where Piccioli asserted his own identity… That’s what it felt like anyway, especially for evening.”
