Pierpaolo Piccioli is leaving Balenciaga after just one year at the helm. The news, announced today by parent company Kering, brings his brief tenure at the house to a close.
“Pierpaolo is an exceptional couturier and creative talent for whom we have the greatest respect,” Kering CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement. “Our ambition is to build on Balenciaga’s avant-garde spirit, honor its remarkable heritage, and continue to push creative boundaries, further establishing the house as a powerful and relevant voice.”
Gigi Hadid models a look from Balenciaga’s fall/winter 2026 couture collection.
Piccioli joined Balenciaga in July 2025 after a transformative 25-year tenure at Valentino. The designer succeeded Demna, who oversaw a complete rejiggering of the brand’s house codes. Piccioli’s vision for the Spanish house focused less on the streetwear-inflected aesthetic that Demna championed, and more on a romantic, craft-minded approach. As he had at Valentino, the designer bridged the past and present to imagine something softer and more personal for the house.
His debut couture offering in July imbued archival references like the sack dress and the chou wrap with his signature approach to color. He also oversaw buzzy projects, including A New York Minute, a Celine Song-directed campaign starring Sarah Pidgeon, and collaborations with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and Manolo Blahnik.
Pierpaolo Piccioli after Balenciaga’s fall/winter 2026 couture show.
“We are deeply grateful for Pierpaolo’s contribution to Balenciaga,” Balenciaga CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli said. “Through his vision, he reaffirmed the couture origins of the house, bringing his considered approach to craftsmanship, construction, and creativity. I would like to sincerely thank him for his dedication, generosity, and collaboration.”
Piccioli’s final Balenciaga collection, which mixed couture techniques with everyday silhouettes, took its bow at Paris Fashion Week in early October. What’s next for the designer is still a question mark, and Kering has yet to name his successor.
