How to Survive Genius
I did intend to write this a while back through the lens of Alexander McQueen or Virgil Abloh, but Alessandro Michele leaving Gucci is a better example tbh.
Alexander and Virgil left behind different challenges, when brands they started and built around their names had to cope with their untimely deaths. Gucci are all old brand and their weaknesses run a lot deeper.
Alessandro's work made Gucci relevant again, and reframed creativity for many in fashion and design. Few in fashion have the cultural impact that Poundland make £10 versions of your trainers that inspire Daily Sport headlines. So, news that he's departing and no successor is in place, is a hat without a head.
Gucci had floundered for years, a cheeky and rebellious youth orientated fashion brand that no longer felt youthful or contained any tension in their designs. Alessandro's hiring was a touch of genius and their work even more so. So, where do you go when greatness leaves the room?
Forward. It's important that new leadership is given a tabula rasa to imprint their signatures. The challenge McQueen and Off-White face is that everything they do will forever be framed by the genius that built the foundation of their homes. If they stray too far, it's no longer defined by what it is.
Gucci have a fantastic history, and the past seven years have been magical, but like when a star player retires or manager departs a sports club, you need to take a season or two to rebuild something different under the vision of the right person for the job.
It doesn't always work immediately, of course, historically you're likely to end a dynasty with a dry period.
Gucci need to push things forward though and need an inspirational creative director to do that. Quite simply, most businesses aren't sports clubs and we can't go a decade without a trophy for the cabinet, dining out on the good will of fans.
I'm excited to see where Gucci go next, but first we all need to take a moment to reflect on and learn from the period of brilliance we've just lived through, because we may not see similar again for a while.
