Gucci: Alessandro Michele new artistic director

Following the departure of Frida Giannini announced in December by luxury group Kering, Alessandro Michele, 42 years-old, has been named creative director at Gucci, according to information published by Bloomberg. The official announcement of the appointment is expected on Wednesday.

Alessandro Michele, right-hand man of Italian Giannini who has just left his position, was until now head of the brand's accessories line since 2011.

Frida Giannini, who was initially supposed to leave at the end of February after the presentation of the fall-winter women's collection, decided to leave earlier.

According to Bloomberg, the group "has appointed Alessandro Michele, designer in charge of accessories, as the new artistic director of Gucci."

Among the names of the potential successors these last few days were Alessandro Michele, designer Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy), Maria Grazia Chiuri (Valentino) and Joseph Altuzarra.

This Monday, at Milan Men's Fashion Week (men's fall/winter ready-to-wear 2016 collection), Gucci presented a new, completely revamped men's collection following the departure of Frida Giannini, created in a space of barely "5 or 6 days" by the brand's design office, according to the group.

To amp up its landmark label, Gucci, quickly losing momentum, the Kering group announced the departure of its management team, CEO Patrizio di Marco and Frida Giannini.

This announcement marks the change of an era at the head of one of the biggest luxury brands in the world, which generated 3.56 billion euros in revenue in 2013 but whose growth notably steadied in 2013 (+2.2% on a comparative basis), even dropping in 2014.

The announcement in mid-December of the departure of CEO Patrizio di Marco and partner Frida Giannini marks the change in an era in one of the biggest luxury groups in the world. A group that generated 3.56 billion euros in sales in 2013, but whose growth notably went down in 2013 (+2.2% on a comparative basis), and decreasing even in 2014.