Why Gucci is going for Gold with Alessandro Michele

If Gucci were competing at the Rio Olympics, they would win a gold medal - hand's down. I'm sure the likes of Chanel and Prada would finish in applaudable runner up positions, but Gucci would take the lead.

Since creative director Alessandro Michele took the helms of the Italian fashion house in 2015, Gucci has grown not only in popularity, sales and much needed kudos, but in a form of fashion inspiration which has captivated us right from the get go. In less than year, Michele has created numerous trends and a whole new identity for the once very safe and sedate Gucci. The embroidered bomber jacket has become one of the most lusted after items ever, with cheap copies and similar options available pretty much everywhere. His use of the Gucci logo on practically everything, whether that be a t-shirt or belt has firmly resurfaced the logo mania trend from the early 2000s while Michele has taken the 'geek sheek' look to a whole other level. Who knew it would be so fashionable to be a geek this season?

So just who is this little Italian guy who looks like he should be touring Europe as a guitarist in an indie band? Michele was born in Rome, 1972 and later studied at the Accademia di Costume e di Moda, a prestigious fashion school in Rome, hoping to become a costume designer. But it was fashion that got in first. Working at Fendi as a senior accessories designer, Michele built up his craft while bestowing Fendi, a brand famous for their leather goods, with beautiful accessory designs. 

In 2002, Gucci came calling in the form of Tom Ford, back in those famed Ford/Gucci days. "I was really excited to work with Tom Ford so I moved to London where he was working at the time, and changed my whole life," he revealed at the 2016 Vogue Festival. "That was 14 years ago...I thought of it as a beautiful, old Italian brand, with this amazing history and the idea of the jet-set. There is something very powerful, but I felt there was something not written about the brand." For 12 years, he held a variety of positions including leather goods design director and then to creative director when Frida Giannini was in charge. 

In 2013, he moved to branding, ensuring that Gucci was competing with the other big luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dior, designing new stores worldwide. When Frida, along with her CEO husband, left the brand it was Michele who stepped in, with his expansive experience and eye for detail. From his first menswear show during the fall 2015 season, it was clear that Gucci was being led in a brand new direction. Gone was the slick, stylish polish of Giannini's collections which showed off refinement and elegance in every form. And in came a younger, cooler, gender fluid Gucci girl who liked to wear socks with her sandals and big 70's glasses with a tie. A hippie with expensive tastes and a fondness for men's-wear. "Sometimes I think it's a kind of creepy aesthetic - a beauty that is sweet but very deep, it's something you can recognise from the past but something you are dreaming about," he explained to British Vogue editor, Alexandra Shulman. Sweet and sugary on top it may be, but there is plenty of depth and art embedded into his well though out designs.

With Michele at the helm, everyone waits with eager anticipation for Gucci at Milan Fashion Week each season. Street bloggers love him, the fashion elite adore him and shoppers can't get enough of his exciting, innovative pieces which fly off the rails even before they've arrived in stores. This summer he showed off Gucci's resort collection at the historic Westminster Abbey, in such beautiful fashion, complete with hand embroidered cushions for guests to sit on. One can't help but admire the craftsmanship and sense of romance which goes into all the little details surrounding his shows. 

He has previously said how inspired he is by the past, whether that be poetry, antiques or literature; all themes very prominent in his historically referenced fashion shows. Oriental styles are particularly played upon, with kimono dresses and decadent floral patterns worked onto dresses and shoes alike, all with that special Michele touch. "For me, fashion is something that makes you feel alive, that expresses something of you: if you are sad, if you feel happy," the designer has said. "Fashion is about clothes and colours - it's not serious; I'm not serious. I try to have fun always." While Michele has been having his 'fun' he has also managed to dramatically boost Gucci's sales by 11.5% from 2014, with sales peaking at almost 4 billion euros. Marco Bizzari, the CEO of Gucci has predicated that the brand will more than double their annual revenues in the long term. Not bad for a designer who dislikes overthinking his collections, preferring to 'play like a kid' with fashion.

For his autumn/winter 2016 womenswear collection, it was the eccentric 70's that inspired Michele. The 1970s mixed with the Italian renaissance, French couture, biker chic and sportswear - yes, it's a lot to get your head around. As varied as all these different styles are, Michele brought them together in a clever fuse of modern luxe and old school grunge. Soft chiffon skirts teamed with floral tops, metallic dresses with cute Mary-Janes, geometric suiting paired with shaggy fur coats and cute little birds of paradise embroidered on to sports sweaters all featured throughout his second womenswear rtw collection. Chinese inspired snakes were stitched onto silk blouses, tweed suits and jackets with fur cuffs were worn with a casual air while a bright yellow, top to toe look complete with turban, fur coat and tights stole the show. The thing is, all of these pieces don't go together at all. But with clever styling and artistic license, the clothes release an electric energy onto the catwalk which you can't help but let engulf you, trapping you in Michele's fantastical Gucci world.

Gucci's new role in fashion as a leader of trends and pioneer of global cool is well and truly cemented. For how long Alessandro Michele will hold gold position for is unknown. But for now, the new kid on the block sure knows how to bolt straight towards the finish line, with a trail of sweeping chiffon in his wake. 

Michele takes to the catwalk after another successful show