Pierpaolo Piccioli – The end of a wonderful reign.

The Italian designer, head of the Roman fashion house since 2008, announced his departure in a press release.

A new surprise on the art director mercato: Pierpaolo Piccioli, who has been designing collections for the Roman fashion house Valentino since 2008 (until 2016 with Maria Grazia Chiuri, since moved to Dior, then on his own) is stepping down. It’s the end of a 25-year adventure for the native of the coastal town of Nettuno, who has yet to reveal what his future holds.

After a spell at Fendi in the 1990s, the Italian joined Valentino to work on accessories. His success prompted management to entrust him with the creative reins in 2008, in tandem with another Italian, Maria Grazia Chiuri. The tandem worked together until 2016, when MGC left Italy for France, joining Dior. Piccioli then assumed artistic direction alone, surrounded by a team that included Sabato de Sarno, now at Gucci. He then developed his own language, faithful to the glamorous roots of the house, adding his sense of color – among his most striking collections, it’s impossible not to mention the almost entirely pink one for Autumn-Winter 2022-2023, as well as his couture collections in Paris, Venice and at the Château de Chantilly…

The designer expressed himself in a poetic Instagram post: “Not all stories have a beginning and an end, some live a kind of eternal present that shines with an intense light, so strong that it leaves no shadows. I’ve been with this company for 25 years, and for 25 years I’ve existed and lived with the people who have woven with me the threads of this beautiful story that is mine and ours. Everything has existed and exists thanks to the people I’ve known, worked with, shared dreams with and created beauty with, building something that belongs to everyone and remains immutable and tangible. I carry this legacy of love, dreams, beauty and humanity with me, today and forever. It’s the beauty we’ve created, it’s life, hope, opportunity and gratitude, it’s my people, my heart, it’s the love that gives you all the possibilities in the world, especially the ones you couldn’t imagine on your own. Thank you to every single person who made this possible in one way or another, it was a privilege and an honor to share my journey and my dreams with you. And thanks to Mr. Valentino and Giancarlo Giammetti for giving me theirs.”