FIT Museum to honor Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Jun 2, 2022

The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT (MFIT) announced on Wednesday that it will honor Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections for Dior, with its 2022 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.

The event will take place as part of the 2022 Couture Council Luncheon benefiting MFIT on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City, which also heralds the arrival of New York Fashion Week.  

Chiuri was named creative director of women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections for Dior in July 2016, becoming the first woman to hold this position at the house. Since arriving at Dior, she is credited for putting a strong emphasis on universal empowerment and unity while creating feminist-inspired collections that help women express their identity. 

Prior to Dior, Chiuri worked for 17 years at Valentino, first as accessories designer — following a successful stint designing handbags at Fendi — and later as joint creative director. 

Chiuri was born in Rome in 1964. She has previously been awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honor) by France’s Secretary of State for Gender Equality Marlène Schiappa. 

“I’m honored and thrilled that my work has been recognized with the prestigious Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion,” said Chiuri. “This award strengthens my conviction as to the importance today of completing a project in which research, experimenting, savoir-faire, and commitment are our daily challenges.”

Past recipients of the Couture Council Award include Wes Gordon (2021), Christian Louboutin (2019), Narciso Rodriguez (2018), Thom Browne (2017), Albert Kriemler of Akris (2016), Manolo Blahnik (2015), Carolina Herrera (2014), FIT alumnus Michael Kors (2013), and more. 

“Maria Grazia Chiuri believes that fashion is a fundamental part of life, and accordingly, designs—with elegance and grace—for women of all sizes, all ages, and all shapes,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT. “Her vision—that one can be both a feminist and feminine—is reflected throughout her collections. For aspiring designers, such as the students at FIT, she is an inspiration, and it is our honor to recognize her work and contributions to the world of fashion.”

Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT added: “We are proud to honor Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first female creative director of women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections for Dior, with the 2022 Couture Council Award. As [Chiuri] says, ‘When you are a woman making clothes for women, fashion is not just about how you look; it is about how you feel and how you think.”