Pierpaolo Piccioli has parted ways with Balenciaga one year after joining the fashion house as a creative director.
“Pierpaolo is an exceptional couturier and creative talent for whom we have the greatest respect,” Luca de Meo, the CEO of parent company Kering, said in a statement on Thursday, November 5. “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.”
The release said that the new creative direction of Balenciaga would be revealed shortly.
“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, 59, was appointed the creative director of Balenciaga in May 2025 and assumed his role in July 2025, following the final couture show of Demna.
“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,” Piccioli said in a statement at the time. “What I am receiving is a brand full of possibilities that is incredibly fascinating. 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.”
He continued, “This gives me the chance to shape a new version of the Maison, adding another chapter with a new story. I am grateful for the trust that François-Henri, Francesca and Gianfranco are giving me. We were effortlessly on the same page from the start, and that is the best way to begin something new.”
Piccioli hoped “to embrace the past,” with his new role and shared that he felt it was “very important to have respect for what Nicolas [Ghesquière] and Demna did” before him.
“The story of Balenciaga is a story of designers that I respect,” he told Vogue Runway and Vogue Business global director Nicole Phelps when he was appointed his position. “This is more a passing of [the] torch rather than a game of chairs, and I feel very lucky to be a part of it.”
Piccioli’s first Balenciaga collection was unveiled during Paris Fashion Week in October 2025, for which he also dressed Meghan Markle in a custom ivory ensemble with a cape and coordinating pieces. He had previously been at Valentino for 25 years before transitioning to Balenciaga.
