Maria Grazia Chiuri has just announced her departure from Dior after nine years at the helm of the women’s collections. Initially joining the house after having been co-creative director of Valentino with Pierpaolo Piccioli since 2008, Chiuri was the first woman to hold a creative directorship at Dior.

In the Instagram post announcing her departure, Chiuri wrote “After nine years, I am leaving Dior delighted to have been given this extraordinary opportunity. […] I am particularly grateful for the work accomplished by my teams and the ateliers. Their talent and expertise allowed me to realize my vision of committed women’s fashion, in close dialogue with several generations of female artists. Together, we have written a remarkable and impactful chapter of which I am immensely proud.”

Her departure creates an opening for a new creative force to take the reins of Dior’s women’s collections. With Jonathan Anderson recently appointed to lead the men’s collections, could he step up to oversee both lines, as he did at Loewe? Or will Dior look elsewhere for someone to guide the brand forward?