Pierpaolo Piccioli is no longer the creative director of Balenciaga

Piccioli, in Paris from summer 2025

Less than two years after the start of his assignment in Paris and just over a year after the debut show for the brand as part of the Paris Fashion Week in October 2025, Pierpaolo Piccioli's adventure at Balenciaga comes to an end, a path that led to the creation of three ready-to-wear collections and one Haute Couture, all closely followed by the sector media, unveiled as part of flagship fashion shows in the Parisian presentation calendar.

Piccioli was praised for his contribution in the Kering note through the words of Gianfranco Gianangeli, President and CEO of Balenciaga: "We are deeply grateful to Pierpaolo for his contribution to Balenciaga. Through his vision, he has reaffirmed the couture origins of the Maison, bringing his distinctive approach to craftsmanship, garment construction and creativity. I would like to sincerely thank him for his dedication, generosity and collaborative spirit."

Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, added: "Pierpaolo is an extraordinary couturier and a creative talent for whom we have the deepest respect."

Kering is reorganizing the creative heads of the group's key brands. In October Anthony Vaccarello and Seán McGirr left their posts as creative directors of Saint Laurent and McQueen respectively.

Now it's Balenciaga's turn to reorganize, which starts right from the creative office. De Meo writes in the note: "Our ambition is to carry forward Balenciaga's avant-garde spirit, enhance its exceptional legacy and continue to push the boundaries of creativity, strengthening the Maison's role as an authoritative and relevant point of reference in the contemporary cultural and creative landscape."

Piccioli mentions Pasolini in his farewell post

Shortly after the release of Balenciaga's note, Pierpaolo Piccioli took his leave from the Maison to Instagram.

In a post containing shots of his work in Paris he reiterated his loyalty to the values ​​he has always believed in.

Couture, she writes, is “a delicate ecosystem where care and human connection are everything.”

The Italian designer starts from his work and, after spending twenty-five years at Valentino, left for Paris to carry on the tradition of a Maison whose identity has shaped his way of understanding fashion.

"Couture requires time and attention; it demands conviction and courage", reads the post, which includes a famous quote from Pasolini, an author to whom he often refers.

"There is a phrase by Pasolini that I always carry with me: 'They will teach you not to shine. And you shine instead'. A maxim that anticipates thanks to those who shared this journey with him, to whom he wishes to always continue to shine.