Gucci’s Alessandro Michele Could Be Making His Exit At The Company

Since 2015, Alessandro Michele has been at the helm of Gucci as Creative Director, though that may soon change. 

According to WWD, insider sources have revealed that the designer could soon leave the Italian luxury label, and may announce his departure as soon as this week. 

At the moment, neither Gucci nor its parent company, Kering, have commented on the matter. As per an anonymous source, it appears that Michele had been tasked to “initiate a strong design shift” within the brand, but was unable to do so. 

Michele had wowed audiences when he first took on the head creative role in 2015, reinventing Gucci with a quirky, androgynous aesthetic that was a stark departure from its previous “jet-set lifestyle image” under Frida Giannini. 

The publication notes that following his appointment, the brand reported over 35% growth for five consecutive quarters by 2018—but it seems that may not be enough to keep the designer in the coveted role.

A different tip says Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault could be looking to take the brand in a different direction, hoping to garner new interest for the Maison by switching its lead designer. 

This isn’t the first time the company would be showing one of its key figures the exit. Last year, Bottega Veneta waved goodbye to creative director Daniel Lee despite his strong showing at the brand. 

Could fans see a new face at Gucci next year? Stay tuned to find out who takes over one of fashion’s hottest seats. 

[via Hypebeast and WWD, cover image via Chernetskaya | Dreamstime.com]