Valentino’s former designer Pierpaolo Piccioli will take over as Balenciaga’s creative director starting July 2024, marking a bold new chapter for the brand.

Kering said it appointed Pierpaolo Piccioli as the new creative director of Balenciaga as the French luxury group faces a slowdown in demand for high-end goods, coupled with its own turnaround challenges.

Balenciaga, one of the most storied and controversial houses in fashion, has a new designer: Pierpaolo Piccioli. He replaces Demna, the mononymic designer who led Balenciaga since 2015.