Gucci is going to be relying on team spirit this coming season. After reports that designer Frida Giannini, who was slated to leave the house after its women’s collection bows next month, left early, Gucci confirmed Giannini’s exit to WWD. In a statement, the company explained that “Gucci’s talented and dedicated men’s and women’s design teams” will be tasked with the brand’s men’s show, taking place next week, and its women’s show during Milan Fashion Week in February.
The news has important implications for the future of the house, and potentially for the industry at large. While the rumor mill’s favorite pastime is still Who’s Going to Take Over at Gucci, it sounds like the house will be deferring on naming a star designer for now. Per the company statement, an announcement “will be made in due course.”
Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s head of accessories, continues to be the widely tipped front-runner, though outside names like Riccardo Tisci, Hedi Slimane, Maria Grazia Chiuri of Valentino, and Joseph Altuzarra continue to pop up. The choice of Michele, who happens to be a close friend of his former boss Giannini, would indicate a move away from the traditional star-studded appointment we’ve come to expect from major European houses, and away from the conventional wisdom that you need a big, splashy name in order to move product.