Jonathan Anderson takes over at Dior as Maria Grazia Chiuri steps down after nine years

Northern Irish designer to lead both men's and women's wear as the eighth creative director

Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson has been named as the sole creative director at Dior. EPA

Rumours that have been on the fashion world's lips for months have finally been confirmed: Jonathan Anderson is taking over as sole creative director at Dior.

It comes days after the announcement that Maria Grazia Chiuri is stepping down as artistic director of the brand's women’s collections after nine years.

In a statement announcing the appointment, Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive of Dior's parent company, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, described Anderson as “one of the greatest creative talents of his generation“.

The northern Irishman was named Dior's head of men's fashion in April, sparking speculation that he was being lined up to take over the women's department as well. This Irish designer now oversees the women's division, encompassing ready-to-wear and haute couture.

His first men's wear collection is expected this month, while his first collection for women will be showcased in autumn.

Models in the Dior cruise 2026 show at Villa Albani Torlonia in Rome. AFP

Chiuri was creative head of women's haute couture and ready-to-wear at Dior for nine years. In an era when designers seem to be permanently on the move, the change feels deeply significant. She joined in 2016 from Valentino – where she worked with Pierpaolo Piccioli, the newly appointed creative chief at Balenciaga – and set about reinvigorating the house by delving through its archive, bringing back heritage ideas such as the nipped waist Bar jacket created by Dior himself in 1947, and the Saddle Bag, from the Galliano era.

Her first fashion show for the brand famously included a T-shirt emblazoned with the title of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay We Should All Be Feminists, setting the tone that has underpinned all her collections.

Christian Dior couture chairman and chief executive Delphine Arnault wrote: “I extend my warmest thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri who, since her arrival at Dior, has accomplished tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections."

Dior's spring 2019 haute couture collection was restaged in Dubai. Antonie Robertson / The National

A huge hit with customers, Chiuri was particularly focused on couture details, which ran through much of her work, thanks to the immense skill of the Dior teams.

In her statement, Chiuri wrote: “I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realise my vision of committed women’s fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”

Under Chiuri's tenure, the house has become known for a romantic yet wearable aesthetic. She swapped out corsetry for elastic and introduced layered net ballet skirts and heavily logo-ed kitten heels.

In March 2023, Chiuri unveiled her pre-fall collection in front of the Gateway of India in Mumbai, partly in tribute to the contribution of Indian artisans to fashion. In March 2019, she restaged her circus-themed haute couture collection in a giant tent in Safa Park, Dubai.

Maria Grazia Chiuri's final show for Dior was the cruise 2026 collection in Rome this week. Reuters

Rumours of Chiuri's departure have been swirling for months. Her 2026 cruise collection show in Rome just days ago was regarded as her finale, even before the official announcement. The crowd showed their appreciation with a standing ovation – a rarity in an industry where everyone is racing off to the next show.

There is no news yet of where Chiuri might go next, if anywhere. A day after leaving Dior, she made public a restoration project of Teatro della Cometa, a historic theatre in Rome she bought in 2020 and meticulously brought back to life with her daughter.

However, her departure means there is one less woman heading up a major house. Her appointment all those years ago felt like the beginning of a new normal where women held powerful, influential roles.

Since then, however, Phoebe Philo, Clare Waight Keller and Sarah Burton have all stepped back from Celine, Givenchy and Alexander McQueen respectively. Burton has since reappeared at Givenchy, but Waight Keller is now creative director at high-street name Uniqlo, and Philo has her own, low-key brand.

Miuccia Prada still remains at Prada and Miu Miu, but otherwise, the fashion industry is once again dominated by men, making Chiuri's departure the end of an era in more ways than one.