Gucci hits a major wall! The Italian fashion house loses its mastermind, Alessandro Michele, who revived and transformed the brand with his eccentric, avant-garde, and gender-fluid designs. The news spread like wildfire after it was announced on Wednesday that the designer will step down from his role as the creative director.
20 years after he joined the company, Michele bows out creating a shake-up for Gucci, “There are times when paths part ways because of the different perspectives each one of us may have. Today, an extraordinary journey ends for me, lasting more than twenty years, within a company to which I have tirelessly dedicated all my love and creative passion.”
Francois-Henri Pinault, chief executive and chairman of Kering expressed his gratitude to Michele and said that “the road that Gucci and Alessandro walked together over the years is unique and will remain an outstanding moment in the history of the house.”
There are a lot of speculations about the departure of Alessandro Michele, but it seems that Gucci is finally getting the media attention it needs. Kering’s share price has also increased, since the news came out, hinting that a new designer may help boost the sales after all.
Luca Solca of the research firm Sanford C. Bernstein, pointed out that in order to re-accelerate, Gucci needs to open a new creative chapter, “We should credit Kering for knowing what they are doing, given they systematically and successfully revived faded brands in the past.”
Gucci has big shoes to fill and all eyes are on the company to see how they will continue to stay one of the top brands of the industry. Their next men’s collection will be revealed in Milan in January.
Until then, check out Alessandro Michele’s most iconic designs here.
