Valentino confirms designer Maria Grazia Chiuri is leaving

As is often the protocol with luxury-house announcements, first come the deeply sourced reports that a designer is leaving their place of employment, then a gingerly worded statement from said brand, and finally a triumphant press release from their shiny, new home. Right now we're on phase two with Maria Grazia Chiuri, co-designer of Valentino and heavily rumored candidate for the creative-director position at Dior.

Chiuri has been at Valentino for 17 years, 8 of those as co-creative director with longtime creative soul mate Pierpaolo Piccioli. On the heels of Valentino's stately show at Paris couture yesterday, the brand issued a terse statement saying that Chiuri was leaving "to pursue a new professional experience" (huh, what could that be?) and that Piccioli would now be sole creative director. Hopefully, this isn't the end of their beautiful, hot-dog-filled friendship.

See the latest Valentino couture show -- it'll take your breath away:

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