Gucci, the renowned fashion brand owned by the Kering group, is currently facing a wave of departures among its senior executives. This comes after the recent resignations of creative director Alessandro Michele and CEO Marco Bizzarri. The latest departure is that of Massimo Rigucci, who has been a long-time executive at Gucci and is the head of industrial operations for leather goods, footwear, and jewelry.
Rigucci, who has dedicated 23 years of his career to Gucci, will be leaving the company in mid-January. Apart from his role in industrial operations, he also played a significant role in overseeing ArtLab, Gucci’s center for craftsmanship and research and development in Scandicci, Florence.
There are rumors circulating that Massimo Vian, the current head of industrial operations at Prada, will take over Rigucci’s position. Vian is expected to leave Prada at the end of this month and assume a broader role at Gucci. FashionNetwork.com has learned that Gucci will be announcing various organizational changes in the coming weeks.
The departure of Rigucci is just one among several high-level resignations and changes within Gucci. Since Alessandro Michele’s departure, the company has experienced a significant shake-up in its top ranks. Susan Chokachi, the executive vice-president and chief brand and client officer, left Gucci after a quarter of a century and was replaced by Alessio Vannetti. Robert Triefus, the senior executive vice-president in charge of brand and corporate strategy, also departed earlier this year.
Not only has Gucci witnessed executive departures, but its creative studio has also undergone major changes. The studio is set to move from Rome to Milan, and numerous designers have left the brand. Davide Renne, the design director for women’s ready-to-wear, left Gucci after 20 years to join Moschino but tragically passed away shortly after. Simone Bellotti, who had a 16-year tenure at Gucci, is now the creative director at Bally. Additionally, Daniel Kearns, who joined Gucci in 2022 as the design director for men’s collections, has recently been appointed as the head of style at Kent & Curwen after leaving Gucci.
With these ongoing changes, Gucci is entering a transition phase under its new creative director, Sabato De Sarno. It is likely that the fashion brand will announce further organizational adjustments in the near future.
Useful links:
1. Gucci Official Website
2. Kering Group Official Website
