Pierpaolo Piccioli steps down as artistic director of Valentino

Breaking news! After more than 20 years, at the Italian fashion house, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Valentino are parting ways. Appointed sole artistic director in July 2016, after sharing the title with Maria Grazia Chiuri for the previous eight years (who then left to join Dior), Piccioli is now stepping down.

The story, which began in 1999 when Piccioli joined the Roman label as head of accessories, comes to an end today. Valentino Garavani called on Piccioli and Chiuri to breathe new life into the house's accessories division. The creative duo then took over artistic direction of the house following the departure of Alessandra Facchinetti.

For over two decades, Piccioli has brought a fresh vision to the house, while nurturing Valentino's rich heritage and savoir-faire. A fresh, more inclusive eye that has contributed, year after year, to the celebration of the couture house's ateliers. He introduced ever bolder volumes and vitamin-rich hues, like PP Pink, which has become one of Valentino's signatures. “Not all stories have a beginning or an end; some live a kind of eternal presence that shines so brightly that it produces no shadow. I've been with this company for 25 years, 25 years that I've existed and lived with the people who have woven the threads of this beautiful story that is mine and ours,” he declared following his departure.

The identity of his successor has not yet been revealed. Piccioli's meticulous attention to detail and fabulous creations will forever mark the history of the house.