Maria Grazia Chiuri received a standing ovation when she came out for her final bow at the Dior Resort 2026 show on Tuesday, and critics pondered if this collection was her unofficial swan song. Now, we can put the rumors to rest: On Thursday, the LVMH-owned House confirmed Chiuri is exiting her role as creative director of women’s. 

“After nine years, I am leaving Dior, delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity,” Chiuri said in a statement.  “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.”

Whispers of the designer’s departure had begun to circulate long before the resort presentation, and heated up in April when Jonathan Anderson was appointed artistic director of Dior Men. The former Loewe creative director is expected to take over women’s, too. (Chiuri’s successor has not been announced.)

Chiuri came to Dior in 2016 (the label’s first female creative director) after her stints at Fendi and as co-creative director alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino. While her collections were met with mixed critical reviews, the brand thrived commercially — HSBC estimates revenue grew from €2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) in 2017 to €9 billion in 2023. The Italian designer also made continuous efforts to champion feminism and frequently collaborated with women artists. (It’s worth noting that she could’ve done better at exploring intersectional feminism.) Her departure is a significant loss to the creative director lineup, which is currently dominated by white men. 

“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,” Delphine Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Couture, said in a statement. “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 has not shared her next steps. But in true designer musical chairs fashion, it’d be a full circle moment if she succeeded Kim Jones at Fendi. 

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