Maria Grazia Chiuri Announced As Fendi's New Creative Director

Maria Grazia Chiuri / Image: Paola Mattioli for Fendi

After nearly a decade reshaping the codes of Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri is heading home to Rome. The designer, who made history as the first woman to lead Dior’s women’s collections, has been announced as the new Chief Creative Officer of Fendi, marking a return to the House where her career first began.

At Dior, Chiuri built a legacy defined by conviction as much as couture. From her 2017 debut, when Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s rallying cry, “We should all be feminists,” was emblazoned across T-shirts, to her ongoing celebration of craftsmanship and historical female figures, she combined elegance and power into a singular vision that propelled the Maison’s creative and commercial success. Now, she’s turning her gaze to another of LVMH’s crown jewels, one with its roots firmly planted in her own native city.

A model walks the runway during the Christian Dior Ready to Wear fashion show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2017 on September 30, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

“Maria Grazia Chiuri is one of the greatest creative talents in fashion today,” said Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, in a statement. “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.”

Ramon Ros, Fendi’s Chairman and CEO, echoed the sentiment. “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,” he added.

For Chiuri, the move is a homecoming in more ways than one. “I return to Fendi with honour and joy,” she said, announcing the news. “Fendi has always been a forge of talents and a starting point for many creatives in the industry.”

While her successor, Jonathan Anderson, made his debut during this month’s SS26 Paris Fashion Week, Chiuri’s inaugural collection for Fendi will be unveiled at the House’s Fall/Winter 2026–2027 show, set to take place in Milan next February. And with many (valid!) criticisms surrounding the recent runways for their lack of female perspective and understanding of what modern women actually want to wear in these times, Chiuri’s appointment feels especially exciting.