Pierpaolo Piccioli is reported to be stepping down

Pierpaolo Piccioli at the end of the autumn/winter 2024 show. Screen shot: valentino/YouTube

The Valentino autumn/winter 2024 collection, shown about two weeks ago during Paris Fashion Week, was so confident, so polished, and so full of the distinct touches of its creative director that it was unimaginable that the presentation was to be Pierpaolo Piccioli’s swan song. To be sure, the all-black collection (titled Le Noir) was not typical of a man with such a flair for colour that there is even a PP Pink initialed after him, but who’d guess that that was to be Mr Piccioli mourning his impending departure. According to WWD, citing “market sources”, brand and designer are “parting ways”. Valentino’s chief executive officer Jacopo Venturini told the publication, “I am grateful to Pierpaolo for his role as creative director and for his vision, commitment and creativity that have brought the Maison Valentino to what it stands for today.” The news came very suddenly and barely a week after Dries Van Noten announced, also unexpectedly, that he shall be stepping down.

Mr Piccioli, through a statement, said, “Not all stories have a beginning or an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines so bright that it won’t produce any shadows.” He thanked founders of the maison Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, but made no reference to the CEO or the chairman Rachid Mohamed Rachid. Mr Piccioli joined Valentino 25 years ago as the maison’s accessories designer together with Maria Grazia Chiuri. In 2008, both Italians were installed as co-creative directors following Mr Garavani’s retirement. After Ms Chiuri joined Dior in 2016, Mr Piccioli was the sole designer and confirmation of who the real talent between them was. Mr Piccioli has gone on, in the subsequent 8 years, to augment the brand’s standing as proponent of the elegance and glamour the brand has come to stand for. Valentino has not announced a replacement.

Watch this space for more information when available