Dior
French luxury brand Dior, under LVMH Group, has announced the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of the women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections. A successor has not yet been named.
Maria Grazia Chiuri joined Dior in 2016 and was the first female Creative Director in the brand’s history.
Through her personal social media account, Maria Grazia Chiuri shared, “I am grateful to have had this extraordinary opportunity. Thank you to Mr. Arnault for his trust, and to Delphine (Arnault) for her support. Special thanks to the team and the atelier for their work. Their talent and expertise allowed me to engage in close dialogue with generations of female artists and realize my commitment to women’s fashion. Together, we have written an extraordinary and impactful chapter, and I am deeply proud of it.”
Dior stated, “Maria Grazia Chiuri has always remained true to the spirit of Monsieur Christian Dior, creating many captivating works through an inspiring feminist lens and remarkable creativity. As the first woman to lead the women’s collections in the brand’s history, she has written a significant chapter for Dior and propelled the brand to new heights. We wish Maria Grazia Chiuri continued success in her next chapter.”
Before joining Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri had been a prominent creative force in the luxury industry alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli. Both graduated from Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome. Since 1989, she has worked in accessory design at Fendi and Valentino. The iconic Fendi Baguette, often regarded as the first true “It” bag in modern luxury history, was one of their creations. After Valentino Garavani announced his retirement in 2007, the duo was appointed Co-Creative Directors of Valentino.
Valentino
Italian luxury brand Valentino has announced that Tanja Ruhnke, who had been appointed Chief Communications Officer just a month ago, has stepped down for personal reasons.
In this role, Tanja Ruhnke reported to Chief Marketing Officer Yigit Turhan.
Previously, Tanja Ruhnke served as Chief Marketing Officer at Maison Margiela, and prior to that, she was Vice President of Communications and Marketing for North America at Valentino.
Earlier in her career, she was Vice President of Global Branding and Communications at Alexander Wang, Vice President of Public Relations at KCD Paris, and also held positions at Helmut Lang and New York-based production company North6, providing communications consulting for clients including Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Birkenstock.
Harmont & Blaine
Italian high-end casualwear brand Harmont & Blaine has appointed Erika Azzimondi as Chief Commercial Officer, effective May 19.
In her new role, Erika Azzimondi will be responsible for all of the brand’s distribution channels, including retail, wholesale, digital, merchandising, and operational marketing, with a focus on markets in Europe, the United States, Latin America, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. She will report directly to General Manager Daniele Ondeggia.
Erika Azzimondi studied in Italy and the UK and brings over 20 years of management experience in fashion and luxury companies, including MaxMara, Gianvito Rossi, and Fabiana Filippi.
Berwich
Italian high-end trouser brand Berwich has appointed Mario Stefano Maran as Sales and Marketing Director, effective May 20.
In his new role, Mario Stefano Maran will be responsible for formulating and leading the brand’s commercial and marketing strategies, coordinating sales, retail development, and digital marketing initiatives to accelerate global expansion and strengthen Berwich’s positioning in the “luxury tailoring” segment.
Mario Stefano Maran brings over 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, having held key roles at companies such as Boglioli, Brunello Cucinelli, PT01, and Jacob Cohen.
This leadership change marks a new phase in brand development and consolidation for I.Co.Man 2000 srl, the company owned by the Fumarola family.
Founded in 1975, Berwich launched its namesake trouser brand in 2007. In 2024, the group reported annual revenue of €13 million (approx. USD 14.1 million), with a goal of achieving 15% year-on-year growth for fiscal year 2025.
｜Source: Official press releases, official social media accounts, FashionNetwork
｜Image Credit: Official press releases, personal social media accounts
｜Editor: LeZhi
