It’s official. On Tuesday, Fendi announced that it has named Maria Grazia Chiuri as its Chief Creative Officer, as the former Dior designer returns to the Italian fashion house where she began her career.
 
Maria Grazia will present her first collection for Fendi during the Fall/Winter 2026-2027 runway shows in Milan next February. Her appointment had been widely anticipated. 

 
“Maria Grazia Chiuri is one of the greatest creative talents in fashion today, and I am delighted that she has chosen to return to Fendi to continue expressing her creativity within the LVMH group, after sharing her bold vision of fashion,” said Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Group, the conglomerate that owns Fendi. “Surrounded by the Fendi teams and in a city that is dear to her, I am convinced that Maria Grazia will contribute to the artistic renewal and future success of the Maison, while perpetuating its unique heritage.”
 
Chiuri succeeds Silvia Venturini Fendi, who has led the creative direction of Fendi since the departure of Kim Jones last year. Last week, Venturini Fendi was named Honorary President of Fendi, a move which effectively announced that the Rome-based brand would name a new creative director. Chiuri had been the favourite to take up the position for the past several months.

“I return to Fendi with honour and joy, having had the privilege of beginning my career under the guidance of the House’s founders, the five sisters,” said Chiuri. “Fendi has always been a forge of talents and a starting point for many creatives in the industry, thanks to the extraordinary ability of these five women to foster and nurture generations of vision and skill. I am grateful to Mr. Arnault for entrusting me with the task of helping to write a new chapter in the history of this extraordinary women-founded company.”
 
Sixty one year-old, Rome born Chiuri began her career at Fendi in 1989, and she helped to develop the label’s famed Baguette bag. After joining Valentino, she then became the joint creative director of the label in 2008. Eight years later, she was named creative director Dior, a position she held until this spring.
 
“I’m thrilled to welcome Maria Grazia into the team,” underlined Ramon Ros, Fendi’s Chairman and CEO. “The role of a creative director is no longer to simply design beautiful clothes but to curate a culture and hold a mirror to the world we live in. Her talent and vision will be instrumental in fortifying Fendi’s heritage, shaping the future talent in the house and deepening our commitment to Italian craftsmanship.”