Fendi, the iconic Italian fashion house founded a century ago in Rome, has turned a new page in its storied history by appointing Maria Grazia Chiuri as its chief creative officer. The announcement, made on October 14, 2025, has sent ripples throughout the fashion industry, marking a homecoming for Chiuri, who began her career at Fendi more than three decades ago. The move comes as Silvia Venturini Fendi, granddaughter of the founders and a pivotal figure in the brand’s evolution, steps aside from her creative director role to become honorary president.
Chiuri’s appointment is more than a simple change of guard. It’s a full-circle moment, as she spent a decade at Fendi from 1989 to 1999, designing accessories and co-creating the now-legendary Baguette bag alongside Silvia Venturini Fendi. As Chiuri herself reflected in a statement published by AP and Haute Living, “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.” She added, “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.”
Chiuri, now 61, is no stranger to the upper echelons of luxury fashion. After her initial tenure at Fendi, she moved to Valentino, where she eventually served as co-creative director with Pierpaolo Piccioli. Her next chapter was at Dior, where she became the first woman to lead the creation of women’s collections, a role she held for nine years until her departure in May 2025. According to WWD, Chiuri’s influence at Dior was transformative, blending modern femininity with the house’s storied codes and helping to quadruple sales from 2.2 billion euros in 2017 to 8.7 billion euros in 2024, as estimated by HSBC.
Her return to Fendi is being widely celebrated by industry insiders and observers alike. Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, the French luxury conglomerate that owns Fendi, expressed his delight: “Maria Grazia Chiuri is one of the greatest creative talents in fashion today, and I am delighted that she has chosen to return to Fendi to continue expressing her creativity within the LVMH group, after sharing her bold vision of fashion.” He added, “Surrounded by the Fendi teams and in a city that is dear to her, I am convinced that Maria Grazia will contribute to the artistic renewal and future success of the maison, while perpetuating its unique heritage.”
Ramon Ros, who became Fendi’s CEO in July 2025, echoed this optimism. In an interview with WWD, he described Chiuri’s new chief creative officer role as a first for the brand, saying it “allows her to fully express her vision.” Ros emphasized the importance of having “one single person” to bring “consistency across the board and long-term solidity to the narrative.” He praised Chiuri’s empathy with customers and her ability to “understand the context, what is happening in the world and what the world needs. This is important, because sometimes designers need to be more sociologists than designers.”
Chiuri’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Fendi. The house recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, a milestone that underscores its legacy as both a family-run enterprise and a global luxury powerhouse. Founded in 1925 by Edoardo and Adele Fendi, the brand was transformed into an international name by their five daughters—Paola, Anna, Franca, Carla, and Alda. Silvia Venturini Fendi, representing the third generation, played a crucial role in safeguarding the brand’s heritage and expanding its reach, particularly in accessories and menswear. Her final collection as creative director, shown in Milan for Spring 2026, was lauded for its vibrant color and inventive takes on signature accessories like the Baguette and Peekaboo bags.
Chiuri’s debut collection for Fendi is highly anticipated and will be previewed during Milan Fashion Week in February 2026. According to Fashionista and Haute Living, the rollout will begin with womenswear, followed by menswear in June and couture in July, signaling a new era of unified creative leadership at the maison. Industry analysts see this as a strategic move. As executive search partner Giovanna Brambilla told WWD, “Now we live in a modern society that is much more fluid, and menswear and womenswear often overlap in terms of timing and also use: what seems to count is the clarity and uniqueness of the message that a brand wants to transmit and in this sense a single creative lead is enormously more effective and ensures great consistency.”
Chiuri’s return has been met with enthusiasm from both within and outside the company. Fendi’s Instagram announcement was quickly flooded with supportive messages from fashion insiders, including Gherardo Felloni, Anna Dello Russo, and Samira Nasr. The move also aligns with a broader trend of major creative appointments across the industry, with new leaders taking the helm at houses like Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, Gucci, Valentino, Jil Sander, Versace, and Bottega Veneta.
Observers believe Chiuri is uniquely positioned to honor Fendi’s matriarchal legacy while steering the house toward renewed relevance and innovation. Paola Cillo of Bocconi University called her “the perfect heir who will respect, preserve and leverage on this unique story.” Alessandro Maria Ferreri, CEO of The Style Gate consultancy, noted that Chiuri’s “pragmatic” commercial sense is exactly what Fendi needs now, especially as the brand seeks to expand its influence in ready-to-wear, couture, and beyond.
Chiuri’s deep connection to Rome and her understanding of Fendi’s heritage are expected to play a central role in her creative direction. As Brambilla observed, Chiuri is “proud to be Roman and has returned home to a brand tightly linked with the Italian capital.” Her recent personal investment in restoring the city’s Teatro della Cometa underscores her commitment to local culture and artistry.
While Silvia Venturini Fendi transitions to her new role as honorary president, her daughter Delfina Delettrez Fendi will continue to oversee the brand’s jewelry collections, ensuring that the Fendi family’s influence remains strong. As CEO Ros put it, “We are working for the next chapter, the next 100 years full of passion and vision to bring the brand where it deserves to be.”
As the fashion world eagerly awaits Chiuri’s first Fendi runway show, the sense of anticipation is palpable. With her blend of intellectual rigor, craftsmanship, and cultural fluency, Maria Grazia Chiuri is poised to lead Fendi into a new era—one that honors its past while charting an ambitious course for the future.
