In fashion, few announcements feel like a collective exhale. But today’s news—Pierpaolo Piccioli taking over as Creative Director at Balenciaga—was met with exactly that. The Italian designer, known for his romanticism, color mastery, and deep respect for couture, will step into the role on July 10, following Demna’s headline-making departure for Gucci. The timing? Impeccable. The reaction? A mixture of cautious curiosity and industry-wide relief.
Let’s be honest—this isn’t just a new chapter for Balenciaga. It’s a genre shift.
Piccioli, who spent 16 years shaping Valentino into a red carpet and editorial darling (remember that PP Pink moment?), isn’t the type to play into chaos for clicks. He’s not posting meme campaigns or wrapping models in caution tape. He doesn’t need to. His runway shows were often emotional, intimate affairs. They didn’t shout; they sang. And while Balenciaga under Demna has been praised for its subversion and social commentary, it’s hard not to see Piccioli’s appointment as a pivot toward softness, towards couture purity, and—let’s say it—towards healing.
But the question hanging in the air is: will the streetwear crowd come along for the ride?
Let’s remember: this is Balenciaga, a house that began with Cristóbal's radical silhouettes and architectural tailoring. It’s fashion built on rigour. And under Demna’s direction, that foundation was exploded—literally. Hoodies, sock sneakers, and meme-fied runway shows turned the label into a Gen Z powerhouse. But Piccioli isn’t known for hoodies. He’s known for gowns. Ones that float, billow, and, yes, sometimes carry the weight of poetry.
That contrast isn’t necessarily a problem—it’s a strategy. “Balenciaga is what it is today thanks to all the people who have paved the way,” Piccioli said in a statement released Monday morning. “What I am receiving is a brand full of possibilities that is incredibly fascinating… This gives me the chance to shape a new version of the maison, adding another chapter with a new story.” If Demna’s chapter was about deconstruction, Piccioli’s might be about reconstruction.
Kering’s Deputy CEO Francesca Bellettini called him “one of the most talented and celebrated designers of today,” and she’s not wrong. He’s a natural storyteller—his collections at Valentino often read like love letters to humanity. In taking the helm at Balenciaga, he inherits not just a brand, but a battleground of ideas. Couture versus commercialism. Intellect versus irony. Romance versus rebellion.
So what does this mean for the loyal Balenciaga customer—the one who queued up for Triple S sneakers and bought irony-laced merch with a wink? They may follow Demna to Gucci, just as many of Alessandro Michele’s fans followed him to Valentino. But here’s the thing about great designers: they don’t just inherit audiences—they create new ones.
And Piccioli? He knows how to cultivate a following. Zendaya, Suga, Florence Pugh—he’s dressed them all, with emotion and clarity. He understands what it means to speak to culture through couture, not despite it.
His debut collection will arrive this October during Paris Fashion Week, just one day after Demna’s final haute couture outing for Balenciaga. Talk about symbolic timing. It’s a handing over of the keys—and perhaps, of tone.
Whether Piccioli will keep the exaggerated silhouettes, the streetwear DNA, or the shock factor that’s defined the brand’s recent era remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: he doesn’t need gimmicks. He has grace.
And in today’s fashion climate, that might just be the biggest disruption of all.
