The Art of Accouterment: Spotlight on Alesandro Michele.
DURING HIS REIGN AT GUCCI, ALESSANDRO MICHELE HAS BROUGHT AN UNPRECEDENTED EXCITEMENT BACK TO ACCESSORIES. WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HE’S DONE SO FAR, AND WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THE COMING SEASONS
In case you haven’ t noticed, everything Alessandro Michele touches turns to gold. After taking the helm at Gucci in January of 2015, the man has single-handedly transformed the house into arguably the world’s most in-demand label (and he has the revenue figures to back it up). Editors, influencers (Blue Ivy included) and everyday women alike are clamouring to own a piece of Michele’s Gucci – and the hysteria shows no signs of slowing down. While his influence can be seen in any mall – bold, clashing prints, oversized appliquéd motifs and OTT vintage chic (sound familiar to your Zara-loving selves?), perhaps his most notable success has been in the revival of the brand’s accessories.
Prior to taking the driving seat at the fashion house, Michele worked under Karl Lagerfeld and Silvia Venturi ni F en di at Fen di as the Senior Accessories Designer before joining Gucci under Tom Ford in 2002 to work on footwear and leather goods. In 2011, he became Deputy to Frida Giannini where he stayed during her ti me at the top. So, given his resume, it’s no wonder he’s been able to radically transform Gucci’s accessories to give them near cult-like status.
First, he introduced the Dionysus bag . The house’s newest bag silhouette was at once instantly recognisable and yet completely foreign and new. Wildly clashing colourways, trompe-l’oeil embroidery and painted motifs adorned the bag and it shot its way to ‘It’ bag status in record time – seen on the arm of just about everyone.
Then came the fur-lined, backless loafer with the iconic horsebit detail in 2015 which has consistently been re-released each season since – no small feat given the fickle pace at which fashion’s favour moves. Additionally, Michele is the man responsible for making logos cool again. T-shirts, skirts, trousers, belts, bags, wallets and shoes were all given the symbol treatment with impressive effect. Not since Louis Vuitton’s own logo became a celebrity mainstay in the mid-2000s (Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, we’re looking at you) has a brand’s motif managed to be so desirable. Sure, Chanel’s interlocking Cs are a soughtafter badge but this is from a new perspective. Chanel is heritage, vintage, classic. Gucci is new, exciting and
“THERE HASN’T BEEN SUCH AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN A BRAND’S TRAJECTORY IN RECENT HISTORY, AND THAT IS ALL THANKS TO THE MICHELE MAGIC.”
monumental. People want to be seen in these pieces for sartorial street cred, if you will.
There hasn’t been such an immediate change in a brand’s trajectory in recent history, and that is all thanks to the Michele magic. Not convinced? Both Net-a-Porter and Matches increased their brand buy following Michele’s appointment and subsequent immediate success. ‘Sold out’ banners are a common sight on both website pages.
Fast-forward to this season and Michele hit peak maximalist with his S/S17 collection, sending models down the runway in over sized, well, everything. Of the larger-than-life pieces, we’re sure it won’t be long until the new, supersized Dionysus models hit the streets, or the giant block letter LOVER choker appears on the necks of fashion’ s most fabulous. Plus, the aforementioned fur slipper has been updated with oversized, crystal-embellished bows – a surefire hit with the #OOTD crowd and those seeking a side of comfort with their couture.
For his latest A/W17 presentation in Milan, Michele adorned models’ faces with punkish nose piercings and sweatband-esque head accoutrements that the street style set will surely lap up. Not to mention some seriously cool second skin, mesh-like bodysuits that, whilst not overly practical, were oh so pretty.
Having conquered seemingly every accessory there is, what could be next for the man with the Mid as touch? The magic of Michele lies in his unpredictability. Just when we thought he couldn’t go bigger, brighter, bolder, he did. When we thought we couldn’t love anything more than the slipper, he delivered the mule. And when fashion threatens to continue its cycle and abandon its current joie de vivre for all things maximalist, he push es on and makes everyone fall in love with it all over again each season. So while we don’t know what Gucci’s future will hold, one thing is for certain: Alessandro is no disappearing act. Visit Gucci.com/ae n