Ridley Scott's House of Gucci is a certifiable flop, but how about a House of Alessandro Michele?
The latest episode of CBS News' 60 Minutes stars Alessandro Michele, Gucci's delightfully eccentric creative director.
Sitting down with Sharyn Alfonsi, the designer detailed his glamorous vision for the house, one that's catapulted the brand to a new era of relevancy.
Michele's appointment as creative director in 2015 came at a critical moment. Under the helm of Frida Giannini, Gucci was struggling to maintain the same level of popularity it enjoyed during Tom Ford's tenure, which saved the house from near bankruptcy in the '90s.
Like Ford, Michele revived the brand's faltering sales by introducing a fresh, instantly recognizable aesthetic, one that the designer characterized as "beautiful strangeness" in last night's special.
With Millennial and Gen Z consumers across the globe quickly taking to his flamboyant creations, Michele paved the way for Gucci's comeback. In three years, sales tripled. Lyst's Q3 index of 2021 ranked Gucci as fashion's second-hottest brand.
Michele's success is apparent but the designer maintains a certain air of mystery online, hardly posting anything that doesn't directly connect to his work at Gucci.
His appearance on 60 Minutes opens the door for more up-close looks at his work, life, and success. In the interview, Michele's sense of humor and idiosyncratic mannerisms — and buttery smooth voice — shined.
There were some pretty entertaining guest appearances, too, like when Jared Leto described that time he wore a Gucci outfit, complete with a wax replica of his head, to the Met Gala: "Everyone wanted to play with my head!"
60 minutes was not nearly enough time to get inside Michele's own head, though. Consider this an official ask: can we get a full-length Alessandro Michele documentary, please?
