Pierpaolo Piccioli Is the New Creative Director of Balenciaga

Pierpaolo Piccioli has been named creative director of renowned French couture house Balenciaga. He will begin his new role—which will include helming ready-to-wear across men's and women's—in addition to couture at the Kering-owned fashion brand on July 10. His first collection for Balenciaga will come in October during Paris Fashion Week. 

 

At his previous role at Valentino – which he held from 2008 to 2024 – Piciolli was known for soft, feminine and elegant designs. His later designs at the label created buzz for their elegance and single-colored focus, including an autumn/winter collection where all pieces were in bright pink, which became known as Valentino Pink.

 

In a letter accompanying the announcement, the designer honoured the lineage of Balenciaga’s past creative figures—from Cristóbal himself to Nicolas Ghesquière and Demna —vowing to build on rather than erase