For his couture debut at Balenciaga, Pierpaolo Piccioli revisited Cristóbal Balenciaga’s rich archive, infusing the house’s heritage with his own signature style — most notably through his masterful use of color. Piccioli’s appointment at Balenciaga in May 2025 came a year after the Italian designer stepped down from Valentino, but only became effective in July 2025, following the final Balenciaga couture show of his predecessor, Demna.