Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior era ends—in Rome, with love

In the gardens of Villa Albani Torlonia, Maria Grazia Chiuri staged her final act as Creative Director of Dior—a Roman dreamscape threaded with themes of home, memory, and farewell. After nine years at the storied house, Chiuri is stepping down, Dior announced on May 29, marking the end of a radical reign that reimagined couture through the lens of feminism, craft, and cultural dialogue.

Chiuri, who joined Dior in 2016, was the first woman ever to lead the creation of women’s collections for the house. In that time, she became its most outspoken feminist voice. Her debut sent ripples with T-shirts that read “We Should All Be Feminists,” and her collections thereafter stitched together political consciousness with poetic beauty.

In a statement, Delphine Arnault, CEO of Christian Dior Couture, called Chiuri’s tenure “tremendous work with an inspiring feminist perspective,” adding that she “greatly contributed to [Dior’s] remarkable growth” and left an “exceptional” creative imprint.

Chiuri’s final show, Cruise 2026, returned her to Rome—her hometown and spiritual compass. Inspired by Federico Fellini’s 8½ and titled The Beautiful Confusion, the show was full of theatrical silhouettes and cinematic symbolism. Models wore intricate blindfolds, a nod to creative introspection, and moved through spaces infused with Italian craft and sacred grandeur.

Yet Chiuri’s vision was never just local—it was deeply global. Nowhere was this more evident than in her long-standing collaboration with India’s Chanakya School of Craft in Mumbai. For nearly a decade, Chiuri worked closely with the atelier’s female artisans to bring hand-embroidery and textile narratives into the Dior universe. Their partnership culminated in landmark projects such as the 2023 Fall show at Mumbai’s Gateway of India, a glittering tribute to the country’s living traditions.

“I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the Ateliers,” Chiuri said in the press release. “Together, we have written an impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”

While Dior has yet to name her successor, Chiuri’s departure narrows the already thin ranks of women at the creative helm of major fashion houses. Still, her legacy endures—in every slogan tee, every hand-embroidered panel, every show that dared to speak softly but carry deep meaning.

From Rome, with love—Maria Grazia Chiuri’s time at Dior ends as it began: with clarity, conviction, and couture that centred around women more importantly than most dared to.

 

Images: Getty Images

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