Ciao, Maria! Fendi has found its next star in Maria Grazia Chiuri, who’s been named the label’s chief creative director. The moment is a full-circle one for Chiuri, who served as Fendi’s accessories designer from 1989 to 1999—and crafted styles including the Baguette bag alongside Silvia Venturini Fendi during her time at the Italian house.
“I return to Fendi with honor and joy, having had the privilege of beginning my career under the guidance of the House’s founders, the five sisters,” Chiuri said. “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.”
Maria Grazia Chiuri (Paola Mattioli/Courtesy of Fendi)
Chiuri’s major appointment broke on Fendi’s Instagram this morning, with support in the comments from insiders like Gherardo Felloni, Anna Dello Russo, Samira Nasr, and David Martings. Her new role follows the creative director exit of Silvia Venturini Fendi, who worked alongside Chiuri on Fendi’s accessories before leading its womenswear collections—and now serves as the brand’s honorary president. Chiuri’s new position notably follows her past role as Dior’s creative director from 2016 to 2025, where she was succeeded in May by Jonathan Anderson.
As for when we can expect Chiuri’s first collection? She’ll make her Fendi debut with her Fall 2026 collection, shown during Milan Fashion Week in February 2026. In the meantime, we’ll be anticipating which eras and archival styles she’ll bring back to the runway—and, of course, continue dreaming of Fendi’s vibrant Spring 2026 collection.
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