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Kering has announced that Pierpaolo Piccioli will step down as Balenciaga’s creative director, less than two years after taking the role. Kering has not confirmed a successor; reports that London-based designer Martine Rose may take over remain unverified.
Kering has announced that Pierpaolo Piccioli will step down as creative director of Balenciaga, ending a tenure of less than two years at the Paris fashion house. The departure is part of a wider creative restructuring led by Kering chief executive Luca de Meo; the group has not confirmed who will succeed Piccioli.
Piccioli joined Balenciaga after Demna moved to Gucci in March 2025. His appointment placed the Roman designer, known for couture work, at the head of a house with a prominent streetwear identity and a history of disruptive design. The source report says Piccioli’s tenure lasted less than two years, but does not give a specific final working date.
Kering described Balenciaga’s recent business environment as challenging. In a statement cited in the report, the group said the house had faced “a more challenging quarter” while working through its creative transition and seeking to restore balance across its business. The statement did not provide sales figures or identify a single cause for the quarter’s performance.
De Meo praised Piccioli while setting out Kering’s stated ambitions for the label. He described the designer as an “exceptional couturier and creative talent” and said the group wanted to build on Balenciaga’s avant-garde spirit and heritage. No successor has been officially named. The report says London-based designer Martine Rose has reportedly been tapped for the role, but neither Kering nor Balenciaga has confirmed that account.
Balenciaga Faces Another Creative Change
The departure puts Balenciaga’s creative direction back in focus as Kering tries to establish a clear identity for one of its flagship houses. Piccioli’s appointment followed Demna’s move to Gucci, and his work was presented as a combination of couture craftsmanship and the brand’s streetwear credibility. His exit means that direction will now be reassessed, though Kering has not outlined what the next collection or leadership approach will look like.
The change also comes as Kering undertakes a broader restructuring across its portfolio. That makes the Balenciaga decision relevant beyond the house itself: it is one part of a wider effort by the group’s leadership to address performance and set creative priorities. The company’s description of a challenging quarter is evidence of pressure on the business, but the available report does not establish that Piccioli’s departure was caused by sales or quantify the financial impact.
For customers and the fashion industry, the immediate practical question is continuity: who will design upcoming collections, and whether the house will keep building on Piccioli’s approach or shift direction again. Until an appointment is announced, speculation about the next creative lead should not be treated as a confirmed change.
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From Demna to Piccioli
Demna left Balenciaga for Gucci in March 2025, and Piccioli took over the Paris house afterward. The change brought a designer associated with couture and romanticism into a label whose public image also draws on streetwear and subversive codes. The source report characterizes the effort to reconcile those approaches as challenging, but offers no direct assessment from the house or Piccioli explaining how the creative process unfolded.
The announcement arrives amid other high-profile personnel changes mentioned in the report, including exits at Saint Laurent and McQueen. It frames Piccioli’s departure as part of Kering’s wider creative restructuring, rather than as an isolated personnel move. The report does not provide further details about the status or timing of those other changes, so they do not establish a specific plan for Balenciaga.
Balenciaga’s Fall 2026 couture debut under Piccioli was previously described in the source material as emphasizing garment shape, color and movement over the theatrical approach associated with his predecessor. That offers a snapshot of his creative direction, but does not by itself explain the reasons for his departure or predict what the next designer will do.
““Balenciaga faced a more challenging quarter as the House continued to work through its creative transition and to restore balance across its business.””
— Kering, in a statement quoted by Hypebeast
Successor and Exit Date Unconfirmed
Kering and Balenciaga have not confirmed a successor, despite the report that Martine Rose may be in line for the position. That report remains unverified in the supplied material. There is also no confirmed date for when Piccioli’s departure takes effect, nor any detail about whether he will complete scheduled work or remain involved during a handover.
The reasons for the decision have not been fully explained. Kering cited a challenging quarter and an ongoing creative transition, but it did not say that business performance directly caused Piccioli’s exit. The source material provides no sales figures, internal account of the decision, or statement from Piccioli himself. The scope and timing of the wider restructuring also remain unclear.
Awaiting Kering’s Leadership Announcement
The next confirmed development would be an announcement from Kering or Balenciaga naming a successor and clarifying when Piccioli leaves the role. Until then, Rose’s reported selection should be regarded as speculation, not a completed appointment. The company has not provided a timetable for a decision.
Further information from Kering may also clarify how the house will manage the change and what it means for upcoming collections. For now, the group’s stated direction is to build on Balenciaga’s heritage and avant-garde identity; how that ambition will translate into design and business decisions remains to be seen.
Key Questions
Is Pierpaolo Piccioli leaving Balenciaga?
Yes. Kering announced that Piccioli will step down as creative director after less than two years in the role. The source report does not give a specific departure date.
Who is expected to replace Piccioli?
The report says London-based designer Martine Rose has reportedly been tapped, but Kering and Balenciaga have not confirmed a successor. Her appointment should not be treated as official.
Why is Piccioli stepping down?
Kering has not given a specific reason. It described Balenciaga as facing a more challenging quarter while working through a creative transition, but did not state that business performance caused Piccioli’s departure.
When did Piccioli become Balenciaga’s creative director?
Piccioli took over after Demna moved to Gucci in March 2025. The report says Piccioli’s tenure lasted less than two years.
Source: hypebeast.com
