On top of revitalising Gucci’s ready-to-wear collection, designer Alessandro Michele has been credited with some of the label’s most extravagant and most fun red carpet outfits.
The Italian designer has stepped down as Creative Director of the label after a seven-year-tenure, it was announced yesterday.
Counting Jared Leto, Edward Enninful and Dakota Johnson amongst his faithful fans, the fashion genius became an A-listers’ darling, with his confections often gracing the world’s most fashionable events.
Michele brought his romantic style and his fearless approach to gender fluidity to Gucci and was not afraid to raise eyebrows with his bold sartorial choices.
Nowhere was it more apparent than at the New York Met Gala, where in 2019, he gave Jared Leto a mould of his head as an accessory.
In 2020, Harry Styles found himself at the centre of a media storm after he chose to wore a baby blue tiered Gucci dress on the cover of Vogue.
The Fashion Week darling told The Times back in March that he loves to see men using colourful and flamboyant outfits, including skirt or dresses to question the concept of masculinity.
‘We invented the idea of “man power” in the 20th century and now we are destroying “man power”. It means that you are free. You are free to cry, to laugh, to hug another man because you are friends. The condition of masculinity has changed,’ he added.
Michele, who counts Idris Elba, Snoop Dogg, Jared Leto, ASAP Rocky and Tyler the Creator among his fans, said he is happy when people use the term ‘flamboyant’ to describe how stars dress on the red carpet.
The designer, who dressed Andrew Garfield in a pink embroidered suit adorned with flowers for a recent event, said flamboyant means alive, and that men are celebrating life and freedom when they choose to dress like this.
And the gowns he designed for some of Hollywood’s brightest stars have consistently made their way to the fashion magazines’ best dressed, from Jessica Chastain’s iridescent lilac number at this year’s Academy Awards to Gaga’s purple haze gown for the UK premiere of House of Gucci.
On top of revitalising Gucci’s ready-to-wear collection, designer Alessandro Michele has been credited with some of the label’s most extravagant and most fun red carpet outfits. Pictured: Lady Gaga wears Gucci to the House of Gucci UK premiere in November 2021
Florence Welch in a Gucci gown at the 2019 Met Gala, titled Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
Jared Leto dressed in a floor-length red gown embellished with gens and posing with his head as a prop at the 2019 Met Gala
In 2020, Harry Styles found himself at the centre of a media storm after he chose to wore a baby blue tiered Gucci dress on the cover of Vogue
Jessica Chastain carved herself a spot on the Best Dressed list at the Academy Awards in March with this mermaid dress
Alessandro’s last show in September at Milan Fashion Week was all about twins and twinning looks, with models wearing the same outfits on the runway
Dakota Johnson looking etheral in a gown adorned with gems at the red carpet for ‘The Lost Daughter’ during the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September
Kiki Layne donned a Gucci embellished green dress for the 2019 LACMA Art + Film Gala in three years ago
Miley Cyrus rocking an all floral suit and shoes ensemble from Gucci for the LACMA: Art + Film Gala in 2021
Lady Gaga in the pleated purple number she wore for the House of Gucci Premiere in 2021, left, with Jared Leto, right and Adam Driver
Jared Leto wearing a satin pink suit to the US premiere of House of Gucci in Los Angeles in November 2021
Model strutting around a Gucci lab reproduced on the catwalk during the Milan Fashion Week in 2020
Actress Chris Lee aka Li Yuchun at the premiere of Rocket Man during the Cannes Film Festival in 2019
A model wearing a statement Gucci coat during the brand’s catwalk at Milan Fashion Week last February