modo
alessandro michele
Leaves Gucci
Words By: sharon edelson
Image Courtesy of Gucci
There must be nary a dry eye at Kering today. Instead, the luxury giant is contemplating its future without the help of cash cow designer and creative director, Aleksandro Mikaelo, who announced two days ago that he is leaving the fashion house. Of course, Kering will replace Michele with a bright young fashion school graduate – because in corporate America, or England, for that matter – nobody one is irreplaceable.
Like a cat, Gucci has had many lives in its 64-year history, including family feuds, take-over attempts, a near-bankruptcy filing, a public listing, storybook turnarounds, and even a murder. For all intents and purposes, the company was declared dead when Bergdorf Goodman executive Dawn Mello plucked an unknown Tom Ford from Parsons School of Design, giving him complete creative control to evolve the brand. The rest is history. Fast forward to 2022, and Sara Gay Forden's [my former colleague at WWD and W] insightful book, "The House of Gucci" was released, directed by Ridley Scott. The blockbuster film starred a scene-stealing Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, the murderous ex-wife of Gucci founder and designer Maurizio Gucci.
Ford plays a pivotal role in the film, paving the way for Michele's singular vision for the brand. Founded by Guccio Gucci, who, as legend goes, in 1897 was a bellboy at London's sophisticated Savoy Hotel, where he was inspired to create Gucci by the luxurious suitcases and trunks of the aristocrats staying at the hotel. Ford associated the brand with luxury and aristocratic pastimes, such as horse-riding, kiu kaŭzis la signaturan ĉevalpecan dekoracian aparataron de la marko sur mansakoj, bagaĝo, juvelaĵoj, kaj vesto.
Se Ford pavimis la vojon por Michele, la pli juna dezajnisto prenis la kondukilojn kaj memfide ekkuris. Inspirite de la naturo, Michele enkondukis ĉeftemojn pruntitajn de herboj, plantoj, floroj, ĉevaloj, serpentoj, kaj aliaj bestoj. La estetiko frapis kordon kun Baby Boomers kaj Millennials, kiuj estis nostalgiaj pri la subskriboj de la marko, kiu regis kiam ili estis infanetoj kaj infanetoj.
The aesthetic of the two designers couldn't have been more different. Ford favored a sleek "disco" club look featuring sexy and slinky silk dresses with few embellishments. Gucci's popularity shot up immediately. If Ford was a minimalist, Michele was a maximalist in the best sense of the world.
Michele's penchant for the natural world manifests itself in his signature bees, buzzing across small leather goods and handbags, including the now-iconic snake handbags with heavy metal serpents gracing the front of the handbag.
Michele revisited Gucci's iconic double G logo, canvas bags, and horse-bit loafers, which in his quirky hands became fur-lined slippers and clogs, further driving sales of the accessories division — historically the cash cow of the brand. Logo bags came next hand-painted with flowers or embroidered with giant insects — a theme Michele continued to explore during his time at Gucci.
Michele in 2015 was plucked from the ranks of Gucci's leather accessories division, where he worked under then-creative director Frida Gianninni. La stilo de Michele helpis al Gucci reakiri sian lokon en la moda panteono altirante pli junan klienton.. La duobla G-emblemo de la domo kaj ikoneca ĉevalbildo instigis la kreskon de la marko je 35% plie dum kvin sinsekvaj kvaronoj., instigante la tiaman ĉefoficiston Marco Bizarre voki por a 10 miliarda eŭro-enspeza celo en junio de tiu jaro.
Michele publike montris intereson en la filmindustrio - ironie, kie Tom Ford parkumis sin sekvante sian transfuĝon de la moddomo. Kvin jarojn post lia unua spektaklo ĉe Gucci, en la mezo de la tutmonda Covid-19-pandemio, Michele renversis alian modkongreson - li deklaris ke li ne aliĝos al la moda industrio "eluzita rito de sezoneco kaj spektakloj." Prefere, li elektis reakiri novan kadencon, "pli proksime al mia esprimvoko. Ni renkontiĝos nur dufoje jare, por dividi la ĉapitrojn de nova rakonto," Michele proponis, koncipante novajn nomojn por la kolektoj inspiritaj de la muzika mondo.
Se la vortoj Rokenrolo venas al la menso kiam oni pensas pri Michele, vi ne estus tro malproksime. His nearly eight-year tenure – a lifetime in the fashion industry – ended because he reportedly wanted to produce a couture collection, and Kering nixed the request. Of course, Michele won't be a lone ranger for long. He'll likely be snapped up quickly for his singular aesthetic and proven design sensibility, not to mention his leadership skills. The world can only wait and see what his next project will be.