Dior may just have found that Raf Simons successor after all. The Business of Fashion is reporting today that Maria Grazia Chiuri, who has co-designed Valentino with Pierpaolo Piccioli since 2008, will be announced as the new creative director of the house after its couture show in July. (We’ve reached out to a representative for Dior for a comment, and will update this when we hear back.)
If true, the appointment would make her the first female creative director ever at the house. She has been an accessories powerhouse at Valentino (having begun as an accessories designer at the brand in 1999), which makes her an attractive prospect for poaching. However, the news would mean the breakup of her longtime partnership with Piccioli, who’s been working by her side since the ‘80s. Chalk it up to fashion’s current breakup mania.