Creative chief of fashion label Gucci steps down

Alessandro Michele, whose eccentric designs reenergized Gucci, is stepping down as the creative director of the Italian luxury brand as a period of rapid growth peters out.

Kering SA, the parent firm, said in a statement that Michele was leaving his post at the fashion house having played an instrumental part in making the brand what it is today.

The firm said Gucci’s design office would continue to carry the direction of the house forward until a new creative organization was announced. A Kering spokesperson said Michele was stepping down immediately.

Kering did not provide a reason for Michele’s departure. The departure of Michele comes as Gucci tries to embrace some subtler designs that withstand changes across fashion seasons.

Since assuming the creative lead of Gucci I 2015, Michele’s flamboyant designs were praised by critics and purchased by droves of younger shoppers from New York to Hong Kong, sparking a run of remarkable growth for the fashion label.

Nevertheless, in recent years Gucci’s sales growth has lagged behind some major rivals such as Dior and Louis Vuitton which tend to appeal to more to older, wealthier consumers who prefer products that are unlikely to go out of style.