Pierpaolo Piccioli leaves Balenciaga after just 16 months as creative director

Balenciaga is without a creative director again. Pierpaolo Piccioli, the Italian designer known for his love of colour, is leaving the house after only 16 months in charge.

The news came on Thursday, 5 November, in a statement from Kering, the luxury group that owns the Spanish-founded brand. His last show was in Paris in October.

How did we get here?

Piccioli arrived with a big reputation. In March 2024 he left Valentino after 25 years at that house, where he had made his name. A year later, in March 2025, Kering announced he would take over from Demna at Balenciaga.

His job was not an easy one. He was following in the footsteps of Demna, whose bold, divisive vision had defined the brand for years.

What happens now?

The departure comes while Kering is reshaping its creative leadership across the group. No successor has been named in the material available so far.

For Balenciaga, one of the best-known names in haute couture with Spanish roots, it means another period of uncertainty. For Piccioli, it closes a short chapter after a very long career at Valentino.