The worst kept secret in fashion is finally out: Christian Dior has named Maria Grazia Chiuri as the brand's new creative director.
The news was finally confirmed last Friday, amid rumours that have circulated for weeks — she is also the brand’s first woman to take on this role.
Her new position marks the end of her tenure at Valentino, where she has been co-designer since 2008, along side her long term creative partner Pierpaolo Piccioli. The two, who have been a duo since 1989, have had considerable success, starting at Fendi, and then joining Valentino in 2008. Under Chiuri and Piccioli's guidance, the Italian label quadrupled in sales, and now tops the billion dollar mark. As Chiuri begins her new role at Dior, so Piccioli will remain at Valentino as the brand's sole creative director.
Speaking to Vogue, Sidney Toledano, president and CEO of Christian Dior Couture said of Chiuri: "Her vision of women, both sensual and poetic, resonates with that of Monsieur Dior. Her expertise in the art of couture and her passion for craftsmanship will be in perfect harmony with the exceptional know-how of our ateliers."
Chiuri takes over the reins at Christian Dior for ready-to-wear, haute couture and accessories, with her first show scheduled for September. Being creative director for a brand as big as Dior might intimidate some, but Chiuri, known for her innate style and grounded attitude, seems more than capable of taking this in her stride. Possessed of a firm grasp of what women want to wear, she — like Phoebe Philo at Céline — has a knack of creating pieces that women flock to buy. And while she might not have the show shopping pizzazz of John Galliano, or the haute couture catsuits of Raf Simmons, she will be a new and exciting chapter for this prestigious and honourable house.
