Once again, another fashion era is coming to an end as the exit of Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri was just announced. Rumors had been swirling for months, coming to a head at the creative director’s romantic and seemingly symbolic Cruise 2026 show in her hometown of Rome. In the wee hours of May 29, said rumors were confirmed as the French house released an official statement, which included a heartfelt farewell from Chiuri herself.

“After nine years, I am leaving Dior, delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity,” said the Italian designer in the release. “I would like to thank Monsieur Arnault for placing his trust in me and Delphine for her support. I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the Ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realize my vision of committed women’s fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”

Impactful indeed. Since her first collection in Spring/Summer 2017 (which featured T-shirts that read “We should all be feminists,” a nod to Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), Chiuri has injected a female-forward angle into each one of her collections, drawing inspiration from iconic women in history like art historian Linda Nochlin (Spring/Summer 2018), German choreographer Pina Bausch (Spring/Summer 2019), Christian Dior’s sister, Catherine Dior (Spring/Summer 2020), Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (Cruise 2024), and Scottish royal Mary Queen of Scots (Cruise 2025).

“I extend my warmest thanks to Maria Grazia Chiuri, who, since her arrival at Dior, has accomplished tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective and exceptional creativity, all imbued with the spirit of Monsieur Dior, which allowed her to design highly desirable collections,” said Delphine Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Couture in a press release. “She has written a key chapter in the history of Christian Dior, greatly contributing to its remarkable growth and being the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections.”

Chiuri came to Dior after a 17-year tenure at Valentino, where she initially oversaw the brand’s accessories lines and eventually managed the creative direction for the Red Valentino diffusion line with Pierpaolo Piccioli. In 2008, Piccioli and Chiuri stepped into their respective roles as co-creative directors for the house, following the retirement of Valentino Garavani. Together they introduced emblematic designs like the Rockstud accessories line and contributed to significant commercial growth, with Valentino’s revenues reportedly reaching $1 billion by 2015. Prior to that, Chiuri held a post at Fendi, where she began her career after graduating from the Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome in 1989. Initially focusing on accessories design, Chiuri worked alongside the Fendi sisters — Paola, Franca, Carla, Anna, and Alda — and contributed to the creation of the iconic Baguette bag, a design that became a hallmark of 1990s fashion.

After an incredible run, it’s hard to say where Chiuri’s illustrious career path will take her next. However, considering the rousing musical chairs game that the fashion industry has been playing these past few years, it’s very likely fans of the designer could be getting an unexpected update on her next role at any moment.