Pierpaolo Piccioli is back in the fashion world after what amounted to a gap year from Valentino. Tomorrow, he will unveil his first collection for Balenciaga—the climax of a whirlwind series of events that saw Alessandro Michele leave Gucci for Valentino, Sabato de Sarno’s brief stint at Gucci, Demna departing Balenciaga for Gucci, and Pierpaolo landing right where he is now, gazing at me from his Balenciaga headquarters office over a Zoom call.

PPP, as we call him for short, appears tanned and is wearing a light gray T-shirt with his coral necklace and a few other strands around his neck. I start by asking how he’s doing. What was it like to finally enjoy a real work break for the first time in 34 years? “I took time for myself and my family. I traveled around India,” he says with a smile. This must have been a dream for someone whose personal style—if not his professional work—hints at the spirit of a hippie born too late (in 1967) and in the wrong place to join the original peace and love movement. Instead, PPP built a career, got married, raised three children with his wife Simona, and remarkably became one of the few great haute couturiers of his generation.

Some of the vibrant colors and bold silhouettes from his Valentino couture shows, along with the memory of his joyful dance with Frances McDormand causing a stir at the Met in 2018, remain etched in our fashion memories for all the right reasons. He achieved all this while living in Nettuno, his small hometown—a fact that won over even the most skeptical in the industry.

Now, Piccioli has decided to move to Paris to lead Balenciaga, stepping into one of the biggest shake-ups the fashion world has seen since the turn of the millennium. The timing is perfect: he and Simona have just sent their youngest, 19-year-old Stella, off to university. “We’re all adults now,” he laughs. “Everyone can come and go.” His appointment, he says, happened “very organically. I feel like choices and life have led me here. Cristóbal Balenciaga’s story, his working process, and his creative integrity made me feel at home from the moment I arrived.”

“But yes, regarding this ‘tsunami of chairs,’ I believe respecting those who came before me—honoring the work of Cristóbal, Demna, Nicolas [Ghesquière]—is cooler and more revolutionary than ignoring the past. It would be foolish to treat it as a blank slate—change the stores, the packaging, everything, and call it done. I think we need to handle this moment with more intelligence and less ego. Fashion rarely talks about intelligence. We also need a new perspective on respect and care, because as creative directors, we’re responsible for many people.”

One of Piccioli’s first steps was, inevitably, to visit the archive. There, heHe could apply his designer’s expert eye to the legendary work of Cristóbal Balenciaga, whose legacy of flawless perfectionism and masterful craftsmanship in fabric stands as one of the most awe-inspiring in fashion history, alongside icons like Christian Dior and Coco Chanel. Compared to Valentino Garavani’s work, which he observed while assisting the Italian designer, he noted, “There was a lightness to it—the way he created space between the body and the fabric, how it shaped silhouettes, really fascinates me. Because there’s no internal structure, there’s air.”

What truly inspired him, however, wasn’t found in Paris but in Getaria, Spain, Balenciaga’s hometown, during a visit to the museum dedicated to the designer. “I watched a video from 1957 of a woman wearing the Sack Dress on a Paris street, with passersby reacting to her—not always positively. The Sack Dress was shocking, truly outrageous. You see this woman in a dress made with just two seams, while others walked by in tight jackets, corsets, and full skirts. It showed how disruptive it was, how deliberate the act of freeing women from constraints.”

Interestingly, this feels like a full-circle moment, especially as current fashion is filled with corsets and elaborate gowns reminiscent of Marie Antoinette. Does this mean we should expect radical simplicity from the new Balenciaga? Perhaps not literally. What Piccioli took from that historical moment is a principle: “Balenciaga never had to follow the rules. It must be a bit disruptive, ready for its time. That intentionality must be preserved. I wanted to study his work closely to absorb its essence and reinterpret it. It’s not about imitation but transformation, because we need to stay relevant today.”

Disruption? That certainly connects to Demna’s era. But what is Piccioli’s view on fashion that addresses political themes? Demna’s work often carried heavy political weight, and Piccioli has previously spoken out, especially on conservative attitudes toward women. “We’re living in a very challenging time. There’s a reactionary trend socially and politically, and we can’t ignore it,” he notes. “In fashion, we have a job to do, and I believe humanity is the key word now. Not just in fashion—it’s a moment when everyone must think in a very human way. The world’s struggles are too difficult to reflect directly in fashion. I think fashion should at least offer a moment of hope—that’s the most it can do.”

His time at Valentino always brought a burst of joy to the scene, especially as he celebrated modern women by featuring models of diverse ethnicities, sizes, and ages, making haute couture more accessible. With this creative director, Balenciaga’s parent company Kering has secured a top designer with a loyal following of affluent clients ready to spend. They’re eagerly awaiting next July, when Piccioli’s first couture collection will debut.

As for the rest of us, tomorrow’s Balenciaga ready-to-wear show is the one to watch. If I were to guess, I’d say we can expect bold splashes of color—that’s his style. In a way, perhaps Piccioli has come to Balenciaga to rediscover his roots. That realization struck him during his trip to Getaria, the small fishing village where Cristóbal was born. “It reminded me of my childhood in Nettuno, by the sea, seeing things from a distance,” he says. “Coming from a small place gives you a unique perspective on the world. I like to keep that distant view—it keeps your eyes full of wonder. Dreaming, not feeling pressured; seeing everything as an opportunity to do my work.”

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Pierpaolo Picciolis return to the roots for his latest Balenciaga collection designed to be clear and conversational

General Beginner Questions

1 Who is Pierpaolo Piccioli
Pierpaolo Piccioli is an acclaimed Italian fashion designer best known as the Creative Director of the luxury brand Valentino

2 Wait Im confused Isnt he from Valentino Why is he designing for Balenciaga
This was a special onetime collaboration For a specific collection Pierpaolo Piccioli was invited to interpret the archives of Balenciaga bringing his unique perspective to the brands history He is still the Creative Director of Valentino

3 What does return to the roots mean in this context
It means that for this collection Piccioli focused on studying and reinterpreting the original designs and philosophies of Cristóbal Balenciaga the founder of the fashion house He looked at the iconic shapes silhouettes and techniques from the 1950s and 60s

4 Who was Cristóbal Balenciaga
Cristóbal Balenciaga was a Spanish couturier who founded the Balenciaga fashion house He is considered one of the most influential designers of the 20th century famous for his sculptural architectural and modern designs

5 What are some key elements of Balenciagas roots that Piccioli used
Piccioli highlighted elements like the iconic balloon sleeve the highwaisted Infanta dress the cocoon coat and the use of black and white for a dramatic timeless effect

Deeper Advanced Questions

6 How did Picciolis aesthetic blend with Balenciagas heritage
Piccioli is known for his romanticism bold color and sense of grandeur at Valentino For this collection he merged that sensibility with Balenciagas strict architectural forms You could see his romantic draping and delicate details applied to Cristóbals severe sculptural silhouettes

7 What was the main goal or message of this collection
The goal was to create a dialogue between two distinct creative visions It was about showing reverence for the foundation of the house while injecting a contemporary and personal emotion proving that historical codes can be