Will Maria Grazia Chiuri's be the new creative director?

While LVMH, the owner of luxury brand Fendi, has not yet officially announced the appointment of Maria Grazia Chiuri as creative director, her arrival appears to be a certainty.

This is according to well-informed sources like Merle Ginsberg of WWD, who also named Francesco Risso and Willy Chavarria as possibilities, Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times Magazine, who wrote: “all is well, it's new for former Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri - the brand new creative director of Fendi. It didn't take long. Fendi needs an Italian”.

Similarly, Aeworld magazine stated: “Maria Grazia Chiuri is the new creative director of Fendi. The designer is one of the most influential and revolutionary women in contemporary fashion.” These statements could be found in other sources as well, at the time of publication.

The reports come as Silvia Venturini Fendi leaves her role as creative director of the Italian house.

Maria Grazia Chiuri: a journey of fighting for women in fashion

For Maria Grazia Chiuri, Fendi would mean a return to her roots. She joined Fendi in 1989 in the accessories department. There she met Pierpaolo Piccioli, now creative director of Balenciaga, with whom she formed a creative duo. Together, they contributed to the fame of the iconic Baguette bag, designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi.

In 1999, the duo joined Valentino, initially for accessories. In 2008, the they became co-creative directors following the departure of Valentino Garavani.

In 2016, she succeeded Raf Simons, now at Prada, as creative director of Dior's womenswear collections. She was the first female creative director at Dior. She defined her style with feminist fashion, including the iconic “We Should All Be Feminists” T-shirt and another that read “no, no, no”. This all happened during the rise of the #metoo movement.

She remained at Dior until May 2025, when she announced her departure, leaving the position vacant for Jonathan Anderson.

While her career path is exemplary, her similarities to Silvia Venturini Fendi could also explain this passing of the torch. This would reportedly make her the new creative director of Fendi.