Overview
- Fendi announced Maria Grazia Chiuri as chief creative officer on Oct. 14, with her first collection set for Autumn/Winter 2026 at Milan Fashion Week in February.
- She succeeds Silvia Venturini Fendi, who stepped aside last month to become honorary president after covering design duties following Kim Jones’s departure in 2024.
- The Rome-born designer previously worked at Fendi from 1989 to 1999 as an accessories designer and helped develop the house’s signature Baguette bag.
- LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and Fendi chairman and CEO Ramon Ros welcomed the appointment, casting it as artistic renewal that reinforces Fendi’s heritage and Italian craftsmanship.
- During Chiuri’s tenure at Dior, sales were estimated by HSBC to rise from €2.2 billion in 2017 to roughly €9–€9.5 billion in 2023, and some reports expect her remit at Fendi to span key categories though the house has not specified details.