Gucci’s Gay Kingmaker Alessandro Michele No Longer With Fashion House

Italian designer Alessandro Michele is no longer serving as creative director of famed fashion house Gucci, WWD reports.

Michele set the vision for Gucci for eight years, but worked there for nearly 20 years in total, at one point working under Tom Ford’s leadership. While Michele’s exit doesn’t appear highly acrimonious, he did admit there was a clash of visions before his departure.

“There are times when paths part ways because of the different perspectives each one of us may have,” Michele said in a statement on Wednesday. Calling Gucci his “home,” the designer stated, “Today an extraordinary journey ends for me, lasting more than 20 years, within a company to which I have tirelessly dedicated all my love and creative passion.” 

Since taking over at Gucci in 2015, Michele earned respect for his thoughtful designs and regular flouting of gender conventions. Michele’s initial fall/winter men’s line was noted for its adrogyny. Sales remained strong under his leadership, but executives at Gucci’s parent company were looking for a change of direction in the brand’s style, according to The Cut. 

Michele himself may have grown dissatisfied with his position — the visionary recently told journalists he feels like a “slave to objects.”