Pierpaolo Piccioli and Balenciaga Part Ways

Pierpaolo Piccioli is stepping down as creative directorCreative DirectorThe person who sets the overall visual vision of a fashion house, publication, or campaign and guides designers, photographers, and stylists toward it. A creative director's influence shapes collections, imagery,Go to Creative Director Glossary 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-gardeAvant-gardeExperimental, boundary-pushing design that challenges conventional ideas of beauty, shape, and dress. Avant-garde fashion favors unusual silhouettes, materials, and concepts, often appearing on runways and in editorials before its ideasGo to Avant-garde Glossary 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 RunwayRunwayThe platform or catwalk on which models present a designer's collection to an audience of editors, buyers, and guests. Runway shows establish the creative statement of a season, and Vogue'sGo to Runway Glossary’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.”

Celebrities embraced the couture flourishes of his designs, starting with Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance in a custom ivory ensemble at his debut show. Red carpet moments included Ariana Grande’s pink gown, Rosalia’s low-rise maxi skirt and Demi Moore’s Cannes closing look.

Parent company Kering doesn’t break out sales of individual houses, except for its biggest brand, Gucci, but according to Morgan Stanley estimates, Balenciaga sales hit €1.47 billion in 2025, down from €1.65 billion a year earlier. This comes after the house saw significant growth in the 10 years since Demna took the creative helm, with sales of €360 million in 2015.

In Q1 2026, the group said that “Balenciaga delivered another quarter of growth, supported by sustained demand in leather goods.” However, in Q2, the group said that “Balenciaga faced a more challenging quarter.” The third quarter was also “challenging” for Balenciaga, according to Kering CFO Armelle Poulou. “ Balenciaga is seeing very good results on the leather goods, with the City and the Rodeo, and we just launched a new bag, Hourglass Avenue, that has a very good start. And at the same time, it’s suffering on ready-to-wear and shoes, where we need to focus on introducing new lines and new products.”

Asked at the time to confirm that Piccioli was staying at the creative helm of Balenciaga, she “declined to comment on rumors”.

Piccioli took on the role just two months before de Meo became CEO of Kering and set a new roadmap for the group, including a new strategy for Balenciaga.

“Balenciaga is one of the brands that better understands the vibes of the new generation,” de Meo said at Kering’s Capital Markets Day in April 2026. The goal is also to double women’s ready-to-wearReady-to-WearReady-to-wear refers to clothing produced in standardized sizes for immediate retail sale, distinct from the individualized fitting process of couture or made-to-measure garments entirely. Filipino designers increasingly translate heritage textileGo to Ready-to-Wear Glossary by 2030, further accelerate the leather goods category by 2030, and double business in the Americas by 2030.

It comes as Saint Laurent and McQueen, both in the Kering portfolio, have yet to appoint creative directors following the exits of Anthony Vaccarello and Seán McGirr.

Shortly after Kering’s announcement, which didn’t include a statement from Piccioli, the Italian designer posted on Instagram with a photo of him in the Balenciaga couture salons on Avenue George V, as well as behind-the-scenes photos of his Fall 2026 couture, along with a love letter to couture and his team. “Over the years, my passion for couture has defined who I am, shaping my choices and the paths I have taken[…] Thank you, then. For the work done, for the hands, for the courage, for the care; thank you to all those who have shared this perspective and walked beside me along this path. Without maps and without compromise. You know who you are. And, despite everything, keep shining. Always. Love, Pp.”

This article was originally published on Vogue.com.