# Balenciaga Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli Leaves Kering-Owned Brand After 16 Months

> Pierpaolo Piccioli leaves Balenciaga after 16 months as creative director, Kering said, with a new creative direction for the house to be announced shortly.

- Published: 2026-11-05T17:13:52+00:00
- Section: Leadership
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-05/balenciaga-piccioli-departure-kering
- Source: [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/05/3396842/0/en/kering-balenciaga-announces-the-departure-of-creative-director-pierpaolo-piccioli.html)

## Key takeaways

- Pierpaolo Piccioli departed as Balenciaga creative director, Kering announced on November 5, 2026.
- Balenciaga CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli thanked Piccioli for reaffirming the house's couture origins.
- Kering CEO Luca de Meo said Balenciaga's new creative direction will be announced shortly.
- Yahoo reported Piccioli's tenure lasted 16 months and followed mixed reviews of his collections.

Pierpaolo Piccioli has left his role as creative director of [Balenciaga](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000z2j/balenciaga), [Kering](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000m1k/kering) announced on November 5, 2026. The departure was disclosed in a [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/11/05/3396842/0/en/kering-balenciaga-announces-the-departure-of-creative-director-pierpaolo-piccioli.html) press release from the French luxury group. Balenciaga President and CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli thanked Piccioli, and Kering CEO Luca de Meo said a new creative direction would be announced shortly.

## Gianangeli And De Meo On Piccioli's Exit

Gianangeli said Balenciaga was "deeply grateful for Pierpaolo's contribution to Balenciaga," adding that Piccioli "reaffirmed the couture origins of the House, bringing his considered approach to craftsmanship, construction and creativity." He also thanked Piccioli for his "dedication, generosity and collaboration."

De Meo said: "Pierpaolo is an exceptional couturier and creative talent for whom we have the greatest respect." He added that Kering's ambition is "to build on Balenciaga avant garde spirit, honor its remarkable heritage and continue to push creative boundaries, further establishing the House as a powerful and relevant voice."

[Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/fashion/articles/pierpaolo-piccioli-exits-balenciaga-less-164809649.html) reported that Piccioli left Balenciaga after 16 months, following mixed reviews of his collections. Yahoo also reported that the brand aims to return to Demna's edgier style. Balenciaga staged its Summer 27 ready-to-wear collection, "Les Coraux de la Liberté," in Paris on October 1, according to FashionUnited.

## Kering's Turnaround Plan Under De Meo

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Kering unveiled the ReconKering strategic turnaround plan at its Capital Markets Day in Florence in April 2026, targeting a doubling of recurring operating margin from 11% in 2025 to about 22% by 2030 through store footprint reductions, operational excellence and brand desirability rebuilding. The same records show Kering employed 44,000 people and generated revenue of €14.7 billion in 2025.

## Earlier Kering Leadership And Brand Moves

In November 2026, moneyweekuk reported that Luca de Meo, a car-industry turnaround specialist, took over Kering a year earlier to revitalize its luxury brands, and that Gucci sales fell again, sending shares down 17% and erasing most gains since his arrival. In October 2026, Seeking Alpha reported that Kering's Q3 2026 trading update showed reported revenues stabilizing year-over-year, with comparable revenues dropping only 1% versus a 5% drop in Q3 2025.

## Balenciaga's Next Creative Direction

Kering said Balenciaga's new creative direction will be announced shortly. The company did not give a date for the announcement.

## Companies in this story

- [Kering company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000m1k/kering) · website: http://kering.com
- [Balenciaga company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000z2j/balenciaga) · website: https://www.balenciaga.com

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