Maria Grazia Chiuri steps down as Dior creative director

After almost a decade at the helm of the Maison‘s women’s line.

The game of chairs in the fashion industry never stops. And the latest to drop the bombshell news has been Maria Grazia Chiuri, who this morning confirmed her departure from Dior. In this way, she says goodbye to one of the most transforming – and also most controversial – chapters in the history of the House.

The Italian designer, the first woman to hold the position of creative director at Dior in its almost eight decades of existence, used the Cruise 2026 runway show in Rome as the perfect farewell. There, amidst classical ruins and artistic symbolism, she signed a final love letter to her feminist and deeply personal vision.

Chiuri not only redesigned the Dior silhouette – softened it, democratised it, made it more livable – but also repositioned the Maison at the centre of the cultural conversation. From her iconic debut with the message ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ printed on T-shirts to collaborations with artists such as Judy Chicago and Eva Jospin, she turned the catwalks into stages for political and aesthetic reflection.

Under his leadership, Dior consolidated its power in the world of Haute Couture and quadrupled its sales.

‘I express my sincere thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who, since her arrival at Dior, has done a formidable job with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which has enabled her to design highly desirable collections. She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, contributing greatly to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections,’ says Delphine Arnault in the official press release.