Maria Grazia Chiuri confirms exit from Dior

After nearly a decade at the creative helm of Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri has announced her departure, marking the end of an era defined by feminist storytelling, intricate craftsmanship, and a reimagining of what it means to dress the modern woman. Since stepping into the role as the Maison’s first female creative director in 2016, Chiuri has built a sartorial language that fuses heritage with a quietly radical edge – balancing the romance of Dior’s archives with the realities of contemporary dressing.

Delphine Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Christian Dior Couture, states: “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. She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections.”

Maria Grazia Chiuri continues: “After nine years, I am leaving Dior, delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity. I would like to thank Monsieur Arnault for placing his trust in me and Delphine for her support. 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.”

Chiuri’s legacy at Dior…

Chiuri’s tenure at Dior was as much about fashion as it was about ideas. From her very first collection – stamped with the now-iconic We Should All Be Feminists T-shirt – she made it clear that her vision for Dior extended beyond the atelier. She infused her collections with intellectual depth, drawing inspiration from figures like Virginia Woolf, Surrealist artist Leonor Fini, and the pioneering women of the Bauhaus movement. Each season, Chiuri worked with female artists, set designers, and choreographers to craft shows that felt as much like cultural statements as they did runway spectacles.

Beyond messaging, she redefined Dior’s codes, softening the sharp lines of its New Look with gauzy tulle skirts, corseted gowns, and a sense of ease that reflected the way women actually dress today. Under her leadership, Dior’s accessories became ubiquitous – think the reinvention of the Saddle bag and the ubiquity of the J’Adior slingbacks.

Highlights from her tenure…

From her Greek mythology-infused Cruise collections to the unapologetically romantic Spring 2023 haute couture show, where models emerged like Renaissance goddesses, Chiuri had a knack for creating fashion imbued with storytelling.

She brought ballet to the runway, staged politically charged collections in Mexico City and Morocco, and celebrated global artisanship with embroideries, beadwork, and textile collaborations that spotlighted craft communities worldwide.

On the red carpet, there were plenty of highlights too – including dressing the one and only Lady Gaga for her Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony performance last year.

Where will she go next?

As for what’s next, Chiuri remains enigmatic. A return to another major luxury fashion House? Or a pivot to a more personal project? Whatever she chooses, one thing is certain – her imprint on fashion, and the women who wear it, will endure.