Balenciaga at the top: Pierpaolo Piccioli brings a breath of fresh air!

Balenciaga at the top: Pierpaolo Piccioli brings a breath of fresh air!

San Sebastián, Spanien - On Monday, Balenciaga officially announced that pierpaolo piccioli Management of the renowned fashion house. Piccioli, who had previously worked as a creative director at Valentino for over a decade, brings a new vision to Balenciaga, which clearly stands out from its predecessor Demna. While Piccioli is known for emotional elegance and romance, Demna shaped the house with dystopian productions and socially critical sharpness.

Piccioli's appointment is viewed as an important turning point for Balenciaga. Under the last leadership, the controversies and the provocative style of the brand were very present, which was not without consequences. However, the industry is optimistic and congratulates Piccioli on this new challenge. Insider, stylist: inside and stars were enthusiastic about the fresh, creative direction that Piccioli has considered.

a personal connection to the brand

piccioli not only has the skills that are necessary to enter the footsteps of gods such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, but also a personal connection to his work. Growing up in Nettuno, he studied literature in Rome before starting his career at Fendi and finally moving to Valentino in 1999. There he was appointed co-creative director in 2008 before taking over in 2016 as the sole head. His first solo collection that was praised for her romance and imagination is seen as the foundation for his future work at Balenciaga.

As far as the first collection under Piccioli is concerned, the exact time is still unclear. However, it is expected that this will be presented as part of the Paris fashion week for spring 2026 after Balenciaga 2021 announced his step back to Haute Couture, which Piccioli's skills will benefit as a couturier.

history of the Balenciaga house

The roots of Balenciaga go back to 1917 when Cristóbal Balenciaga opened his first tailor salon in San Sebastián. In the decades, the house quickly developed into a cult fashion company. Balenciaga became particularly well -known for its innovative designs and its ability to combine Paris chic with Spanish pride. In the 1930s, the house was one of his followers like Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich.

Although the company temporarily hired the activities in 1968, it experienced a revival and was led over the years by various creative directors, including by Nicolas Ghesquière and most recently Demna Gvasalia. The latter took up his position in 2015 and was also faced with controversy, especially because of advertising campaigns that met with violent criticism in 2022.

Despite these challenges, the current corporate figures show that Balenciaga can continue to record strong growth in the field of leather goods, which is specially specified in the luxury industry. Balenciaga's sales were 1.66 billion euros in 2024, which is a positive development for the brand.

The appointment of Piccioli is seen as an opportunity to revitalize the brand and to take new interesting ways in the fashion business that respect tradition and bring wind to the creative processes.

For more information about the history of Balenciaga, please visit wikipedia .