5 Things You Can Expect From Pierpaolo Piccioli At Balenciaga

The Italian designer will showcase his first collection for the storied House in October. What will it possibly look like?

Pierpaolo Piccioli Balenciaga Valentino — Photos: Courtesy of Balenciaga, © Catwalkpictures.com

By Aaron Kok - published 20 May 2025

In fashion’s latest game of musical chairs, here’s a move that has us excited: after a storied run at Valentino—where he transformed the house into a bastion of romance, colour, and modern couture—Pierpaolo Piccioli will now take the reins at the famously edgy Parisian brand Balenciaga in a pivot that feels both surprising and strategic.

Known for his emotionally rich vision and ability to balance heritage with modernity, Piccioli brings a softer, more soulful hand to a brand that’s spent the better part of the last decade pushing provocation to its limits. So what happens when the fashion world’s reigning romantic steps into a house built on radicalism and irony? The result could be a recalibration not just of Balenciaga’s aesthetic, but of fashion’s broader conversation around beauty, purpose, and power. As Piccioli prepares for his debut collection this October, we distill his body of work down into the ways he would revolutionise the French House.

1. Romanticism with depth

Piccioli is a master of poetic grandeur. His work at Valentino was drenched in emotion—voluminous silhouettes, rich textures, and gestures of humanism (more on this, further down). Expect him to soften Balenciaga’s current hyper-ironic, street-meets-art stance into something more emotionally resonant and lyrical.

2. A celebration of colour and craft

While Balenciaga’s palette under Demna frequently leaned heavy on moody blacks, deep greys and other darker colours popular in streetwear, Piccioli revels in painterly colour—remember his infamous PP Pink that had everyone running to the stores to scoop up the searing shade of fuchsia? We might see a renaissance of Balenciaga’s couture roots, reimagined through Piccioli’s love of bold draping, embroidery, and high drama.

3. A narrative shift

Where Demna’s Balenciaga challenged fashion’s moral compass through irony and provocation, Piccioli might refocus the brand’s message into beauty as activism. He’s proven that elegance can be subversive, just in a quieter, more enduring way. For Piccioli, glamour and beauty form a response, a balm and even an armour to the world around us.

4. Human-centric creativity

Piccioli has long prioritised inclusivity—not just in casting, but in how he communicates values. At a couture show in 2019, he had an entire cast of black models pose as a finale for his runway show, which he later attributed as an homage of Cecil Beaton’s famous photograph of Charles James’ ballgowns reimagined with models of colour. This ethos could bring a more democratic spirit to Balenciaga, perhaps dialing down the meta-commentary in favor of sincerity and soul.

5. Melting legacy and innovation together

Cristóbal Balenciaga was an architect of form. Piccioli, while more emotive, also reveres fashion history: the designer recounted how his first Instagram post ever made was an iconic wedding gown from the ‘60s by Cristóbal himself. He’s likely to mine the House’s archives in an effort to elevate and reinterpret them with grace for the 21st century. We could be seeing the return of Cristóbal’s balloon hems, sculptural volumes and Spanish flair, but with a contemporary gentleness.

In essence, his Balenciaga could feel like a palate cleanser: less meme, more meaning. We are already excited by the possibilities.