© Nacho Alegre/ Motif Management
Alas, those expecting to see a “final” collection from Frida Giannini prior to her departure from Gucci will be disappointed. The brand has just announced that the former creative director has exited a month earlier than expected.
Giannini, who leaves with her partner Patrizio di Marco, former CEO of Gucci, was slated to step down from her position at the end of February. As such, this abrupt depature raises several question, especially when the brand’s Fall menswear and womenswear shows are less than a week and a month away respectively.
While Gucci has named Marco Bizzarri – former CEO of Bottega Veneta and the current head of Kering’s Couture & Leather Goods Division – as Marco’s successor, it has yet to settle on one for Giannini. The rumour mill has been spinning about her replacement since news of her exit broke, and while names like Joseph Altuzarra, Riccardo Tisci and Hedi Slimane have been thrown about, recent speculations have placed Gucci’s present head accessory designer Alessandro Michele as the front runner. Giannini has been with Kering for 12 years, with nine of it spent as the creative director of Gucci.
On Giannini’s departure, Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, says, “I would like to thank Frida for her extraordinary passion, dedication and contribution to the Gucci brand. She has been the sole Creative director of Gucci for close to a decade. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering the level and breadth of responsibility of overviewing all the aspects related to product and image for such a global brand during such a long period of time. I am truly grateful to her for her achievements, creativity and the passion that she has always instilled in her work.”
And now begs the questions – who will take the final bow at Gucci’s menswear show next week?
RELATED ARTICLES
