When relatively unknown designer Alessandro Michele officially assumed the top spot at Gucci in January—following longtime creative director Frida Giannini—the notoriously fickle fashion crowd flipped for the changes he’s bringing to one of the most recognizable luxury brands on the planet.
Since taking the reigns, Michele’s presented three collections that not only articulated his vision to a T, but also provided a much-needed shot in the arm for label, whose $4 billion sales have been more or less stagnant before Michele. While its status as a respected brand never wavered, Gucci’s coolness was virtually non-existent in a Wang, Proenza, and Céline-filled space.
But while everyone’s buzzing about Alessandro’s quirky, youthful, witty clothes—and they are something special, to be sure—it’s the accessories that are the real standouts. Not too surprising, given the 42-year-old’s background: He joined Gucci following a stint as senior accessories designer at Fendi, and rose to be the head of accessories for the house.
As with any luxury brand, shoes, bags, and other leather goods are usually where the money is—the average luxury consumer is way more amenable to splurging on a $3,000 bag rather than spend the same amount on this season’s blouse—and accessories have always been the core of Gucci’s business.
And while Michele certainly isn’t doing away with the house’s signature logo or red and green palette, he’s adding a variety of new details to the mix, like nature-themed embroidery, sporty rucksacks, fur shoes (which are poised to be an It-item this fall), and leather box bags with shiny “GG” hardware.
Here, we’ve spotlighted 12 accessories that not only speak to Michele’s new direction, but also have us more than ready to throw down our credit cards.
