Alessandro Michele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alessandro Michele
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Michele in 2015
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| Born | 25 November 1972 Rome, Italy
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| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Title | Creative director of Valentino |
| Partner(s) | Giovanni Attili |
Alessandro Michele (born November 25, 1972) is a famous Italian fashion designer. He is currently the creative director for the fashion house Valentino.
Before joining Valentino, Alessandro Michele became very well-known as the creative director of Gucci. He worked at Gucci, a luxury Italian fashion brand, from 2002 to 2022. Michele is famous for his bold and detailed designs, often called "maximalist." He made Gucci popular again, especially with a unique "Geek-Chic" style. From January 2015 until November 2022, he was in charge of all of Gucci's fashion collections and its worldwide brand image.
Contents
About Alessandro Michele
Growing Up in Rome
Alessandro Michele grew up in the city of Rome, Italy. His father worked as a technician for an airline, and his mother helped a movie executive.
In the early 1990s, Alessandro Michele studied fashion design. He went to the Accademia di Costume e di Moda in Rome. There, he learned how to design both costumes for plays and movies, and everyday fashion clothes.
His Fashion Journey
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In 1994, Michele left Rome to work for Les Copains. This was an Italian company that made knitwear, which are clothes made from knitted fabric. Three years later, he joined the luxury fashion house Fendi. He worked with famous designers like Silvia Venturini Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld. At Fendi, he became a senior designer for accessories, focusing on leather goods like handbags.
In 2002, Tom Ford, who was Gucci's creative director at the time, invited Michele to work at Gucci's design office in London. Michele first worked on designing handbags for the company. By 2006, he became the senior designer for Gucci's leather goods. In 2011, he was promoted to associate creative director, working closely with Frida Giannini. In 2014, Michele also became the creative director for Richard Ginori. This is a porcelain brand from Florence that Gucci bought in 2013.
In April 2024, Alessandro Michele became the creative director for the fashion house Valentino.
Leading Gucci's Style
In January 2015, Alessandro Michele was asked to take over as interim creative director for Gucci's menswear show. He had only one week to change the designs that were already planned. Michele took on this challenge and presented a "new Gucci" look. It was described as unique, romantic, and intellectual. Just two days later, the company Kering officially named Alessandro Michele the creative director of Gucci. Their goal was to bring new life to Gucci and boost its sales.
A month later, Michele showed his first women's collection for Gucci. It had a "sophisticated, intellectual, and gender-neutral feel."
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Michele created many popular items, like the Dionysus handbag. He also brought back classic Gucci features, such as the double-G logo. He often added feminine touches to Gucci's menswear, showing that "you can be more masculine showing your femininity." He also brought a dramatic, old-world feel to Gucci. He replaced modern furniture in Gucci's design headquarters with antiques. He also chose historic buildings for his fashion shows to create a theatrical experience.
In 2016, Michele helped organize two new rooms at the Gucci Museum in Florence. These rooms showed collections designed by Tom Ford. Since 2018, Michele has also helped choose items for the Gucci Wooster Bookstore in New York. In October 2018, he worked with Maurizio Cattelan to create an art exhibition in Shanghai called "The Artist is Present."
In 2019, Michele brought back Gucci's Beauty collection. He also designed Gucci's first collection of fine jewelry.
In March 2024, Michele was chosen as the creative director of the Italian fashion house Valentino. This happened after Pierpaolo Piccioli, who had worked at Valentino for 25 years, left the company.
His Creative Style
Alessandro Michele's father was an artist who often took him to museums. His family encouraged his interest in fashion from a young age. As a teenager, he enjoyed reading British magazines. He was also a fan of the "post-punk" and "New Romantic" street styles from London.
His designs are often described as varied, flashy, and "maximalist." They draw inspiration from many different places. These include movies, theater, post-punk music, crochet, and old Hollywood glamour.
Michele sees himself more as an "art archaeologist" or a "historian of clothes" than just a creative director. He believes that clothes are more meaningful when they have a historical background. In his fashion process, he explores how people used decorations and embellishments throughout history. He brings together a mix of different times and cultures in his designs.
Personal Life
Alessandro Michele lives in Rome with his longtime partner, Giovanni Attili. Giovanni is a professor who studies city planning.
Awards and Honors
- 2015: International Fashion Designer Of The Year Award at the British Council Fashion Awards
- 2016: Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards
- 2016: International Accessories Designer of the Year Award at the British Council Fashion Awards
- 2016: GQ Men Of The Year Award for best designer
- 2017: Listed in Hypebeast's HB100 (a list of influential people in fashion and culture)
- 2017: Named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People
See Also
- List of Italian designers
