Dior suffers major loss as trailblazing designer exits
Here's what Dior’s latest news could mean for the brand’s future.
There are few moments more core to my fashion memory than the day my mom bought her first Dior bag.
We were in London — just the three of us: my mom, my aunt, and me. A girls' trip filled with visiting family, seeing The Killers at the O2, and eating our way through the city.
Of course, no girls' trip is complete without a little shopping.
My mom, who had spent most of her life putting everyone else first, finally let herself splurge. She looked at a handful of bags. But then she tried on a white crossbody with gold hardware.
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My aunt and I stood behind her, beaming. It wasn’t quite her usual style, but we all knew it was the one. It just worked for her in a way nothing else did.
That moment felt bigger than just a shopping win. Dior had become part of an ongoing shift — not just in how she looked, but in how she was starting to see herself.
The brand stood for women becoming the main character in their own stories, unapologetically and on their own terms.
This is why the news Dior just dropped feels like such a blow.
Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative force behind Dior’s modern identity, exits
Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior’s first female creative director, is stepping down after a nine-year tenure.
The fashion house confirmed her departure in a Thursday statement, ending a run that began in 2016 and reshaped the brand with a boldly feminist edge.
From her debut Spring/Summer 2017 collection with the now-iconic “We Should All Be Feminists” tee, Chiuri brought a clear message: fashion isn’t just about clothes — it’s about power, identity, and inclusion.
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During her time at Dior, Chiuri made headlines with bold collaborations, feminist messaging, and the revival of iconic pieces like the Saddle Bag.
Her designs weren’t always about flash; they were about feeling. And they resonated. Under her leadership, Dior’s couture sales jumped from €2.2 billion in 2017 to €9.5 billion in 2023, according to HSBC.
But in the first quarter of 2025, LVMH (LVMHF) reported a 5% decline in sales in its fashion and leather goods division.
Her departure comes during a delicate time for the brand.
Dior faces big questions about its future after Maria Grazia Chiuri exits
Chiuri didn’t just create clothes — she created meaning.
She was the architect of a brand identity that managed to blend heritage with progress. Under her watch, Dior didn’t just reference Christian Dior’s past, it reimagined it through a female lens.
In an industry still dominated by men, she carved out space for stories and silhouettes that celebrated all kinds of women.
As Dior works through a luxury slowdown and increasing pressure from rivals like Chanel and Loewe, this leadership gap could be more than symbolic. It may signal a creative reset, one that risks alienating the very customers Chiuri brought into the fold.
A successor has yet to be named.
And as for me, every time I see my mom wearing that white Dior bag, I think of that London day — of laughter, joy, and the quiet power of watching a woman choose herself.
Dior helped make that possible.
Now, without Chiuri, it has to prove it still can.
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