Walter Chiapponi has exited Blumarine after just one season as creative director. A successor has yet to be named.
The house did not give any reason for the departure, but Chiapponi had been open about his grief throughout 2023, which he called a “horrible year” in an Instagram post in January due to the sudden deaths of his nephew, his friend Davide Renne (quickly after his appointment as Moschino creative director), and his dog.
“My thanks for this experience go first and foremost to Marco Marchi [sole director of Eccellenze Italiane Holding, parent company of Blumarine] who made it possible, but also to all those without whome I wouldn’t have been able to express myself as I did. I am especially referring to people I have loved who are no longer with us, but who continue to instil strong emotions in me, to inspire my feelings and my journey,” said Chiapponi in a statement today.
“I now want to concentrate on new initiatives and projects with a social and humanitarian scope before returning at a later date, at the right time, to the catwalk.”
Chiapponi’s appointment to Blumarine in November was shocking to some, signaling a pivot away from the Y2K aesthetic the brand had installed under Nicola Brognano, who revived the brand following his appointment in 2019. Chiapponi was formerly creative director at Tod’s; he stepped down in July 2023 and was succeeded by Matteo Tamburini.
As expected, Chiapponi’s first and only collection for Blumarine was far different from Brognano’s Y2K aesthetic: for autumn/winter 2024, the label switched to romantic lace brogues, sheer gowns and floral prints on dresses and silk pajamas.
“This experience will remain unique at a special moment in Blumarine’s history,” says Marchi. “I am grateful to Walter Chiapponi for pouring so much of himself into this collection. It has been an extraordinary adventure. I wish Walter all the best for the continuation of his journey.”
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