Beauty: Chanel ushers in a new era with the appointment of Lucia Pieroni
Luxury house Chanel has announced the appointment of Lucia Pieroni as creative director of makeup, a role she will assume from this September, according to a statement from the brand.
In her new role, Lucia Pieroni will work closely with the makeup creation studio. She will report directly to Simona Cattaneo, the company's president of fragrance and beauty.
Return to a single creative direction
While the position of creative director of makeup is not new at Chanel, having been held by Lucia Pica from 2015, the house had recently changed its course. In 2022, the brand partnered with a trio of emerging talents, Ammy Drammeh, Cécile Paravina and Valentina Li, to bring a collaborative approach to its cosmetics. The arrival of Pieroni therefore marks a return to a single artistic direction.
The brand's executives highlight the importance of this appointment for the evolution of the cosmetics division. Alain Wertheimer, global executive chairman, and Leena Nair, global chief executive officer, believe that the new director's expertise will bring a fresh perspective, strengthening the dynamism of the makeup segment.
Simona Cattaneo highlights Lucia Pieroni's instinct for perceiving the individuality of faces and offering an expressive cosmetic approach. “Lucia has an extraordinary instinct for beauty,” she stated.
“To be chosen to join Chanel is a great honour,” said Lucia Pieroni. “I look forward to sharing my artistic vision at a particularly exciting time in Chanel's history.” The director is referring to the momentum driven by Matthieu Blazy, Chanel's artistic director since 2025, whose collections have achieved both commercial and critical success. The makeup artist has already worked with Blazy, starting with his first fashion collection for Chanel, presented in October 2025.
Expressing her excitement, Pieroni also wrote on her Instagram account: “I am delighted to finally be able to tell you that I have been appointed makeup artistic director at Chanel.” According to the same source, she also worked for Givenchy under the direction of Sarah Burton. She also appeared in the brand's autumn/winter 2025 campaign.
A solid international career
Before joining the French house, Pieroni built a solid international career. Originally trained in painting, she integrated this artistic dimension into her approach to beauty from the beginning of her career in London. In 1995, she moved to New York where she collaborated with avant-garde artists and renowned fashion photographers.
She honed her creative direction experience between 2006 and 2019, serving as the makeup creative director for Clé de Peau Beauté, a brand owned by the Shiseido group.
According to the financial report published by the Chanel group in May 2026, fragrances and skincare were the main drivers of the Fragrance and Beauty division's performance. The company cited the success of Chance Eau Splendide, a new women's fragrance and the first in eight years. The brand has also just launched a new fragrance named Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu.