Maria Grazia Chiuri

Born in Rome, Maria Grazia Chiuri studied at the European Design Institute and built her career in the Italian accessories trade, joining Fendi and then Valentino, where she designed bestselling bags including the Rockstud. In 2008 she was named co-creative director of Valentino alongside her longtime partner Pierpaolo Piccioli, after Valentino Garavani's retirement. Their joint eight-year tenure restored Valentino's couture credibility through pre-Raphaelite romanticism and the Rockstud commercial juggernaut. In July 2016 LVMH named Chiuri creative director of Dior women's collections — the first woman to lead the house in its 70-year history. Over nine years she infused Dior with overt feminist messaging ('We Should All Be Feminists' tees), collaborative artist scenography, and a renewed Bar jacket. She left Dior in 2025 ahead of Jonathan Anderson's takeover.