Pierpaolo Piccioli to step down

Apparently it is a week of momentous departures in the ever-evolving realm of fashion. Days after Dries van Noten revealed he would be exiting his namesake brand, it has now been revealed that Pierpaolo Piccioli will also be stepping down as creative director of Valentino, a label he has served over the course of 25 years.

It wasn’t until 2016, however, when Piccioli became the sole creative director of the Italian luxury brand. He had initially shared the title over eight years with Maria Grazia Chiuri, who ultimately left to become the creative director of Christian Dior.

From that point onwards, Piccioli set about continuing to express his stylistic vision for the house in pursuit of bringing forward his own creative guide, as he stated in a release at the time.

Now, however, Valentino’s chief executive officer, Jacopo Venturini, confirmed Piccioli’s departure in a statement shared with FashionUnited, in which he said: “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.”

Chairman Rachid Mohamed Rachid was another to extend his thanks to Piccioli, noting that the company was grateful to the designer for “writing an important chapter in the history of Maison Valentino”. Rachid continued: “His contribution over the past 25 years will leave an indelible mark.”

‘Everything existed and exists thanks to the people I met…’

Piccioli also shared a heartfelt statement to announce his departure, reading: “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. I’ve been in this company for 25 years, and for 25 years I’ve existed and I’ve lived with the people who have woven the weaves of this beautiful story that is mine and ours.

“Everything existed and exists thanks to the people I met, with whom I worked, with whom I shared dreams and created beauty, with whom I built something that belongs to all, and that remains immutable and tangible.

“This heritage of love, dreams, beauty and humanity, I carry it with me, today and forever. This is the beauty that we have created: life, hope, opportunity and gratitude, and my people, my heart, and the love that gives you all the possibilities of the world, especially those that you could not imagine alone.

“Thanks to Mr. Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti who have blessed me with their trust, thanks to every single person who made this possible in one way or another, it was a privilege and an honour to share my journey, and my dreams, with you.”

Valentino itself has already been on a transformation journey of its own in recent years. Last July, Kering announced that it had secured a 30 percent stake in the brand in a 1.7 billion euro investment as part of a strategic partnership with Mayhoola, which owns a controlling stake in the label. The deal could see Kering potentially purchase 100 percent of Valentino’s capital by 2028, suggesting that major changes could be in order for the label’s future.