It’s not possible! The end of an era! These are the two phrases that have been heard the most in recent hours since the announcement of the departure of Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director until yesterday.

The designer has been at the helm of the Italian luxury fashion house for a total of 20 years, five years in total, playing a fundamental role in the brand and offering the best version of creativity, each one more innovative than the last. Despite being a revolutionary, Alessandro has done one thing very well, and that is that he has always remained faithful to the company’s recognized codes.

Since Michele has been in charge of the creative side of the brand, it has not stopped experiencing great successes, such as its position as the most desired or popular brand. Marco Bizarri, Gucci’s president and CEO, is practical of this opinion and has stated it as follows: “I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet Alessandro at the end of 2014, since then we have had the pleasure to work closely together as Gucci has charted its successful path over these last eight years. I would like to thank him for his 20 years of commitment to Gucci and for his vision, devotion, and unconditional love for this unique House during his tenure as Creative Director.”

For his part, François-Henri Pinault, Chairman, and CEO of Kering said: “The road that Gucci and Alessandro walked together over the past years is unique and will remain as an outstanding moment in the history of the House. I am grateful to Alessandro for bringing so much of himself in this adventure. His passion, his imagination, his ingenuity and his culture put Gucci center stage, where its place is. I wish him a great next chapter in his creative journey.”

What prompted Alessandro Michele to leave? This is what he said: “There are times when paths part ways because of the different perspectives each one of us may have. Today an extraordinary journey ends for me, lasting more than twenty years, within a company to which I have tirelessly dedicated all my love and creative passion. During this long period Gucci has been my home, my adopted family. To this extended family, to all the individuals who have looked after and supported it, I send my most sincere thanks, my biggest and most heartfelt embrace. Together with them I have wished, dreamed, imagined. Without them, none of what I have built would have been possible. To them goes my most sincerest wish: may you continue to cultivate your dreams, the subtle and intangible matter that makes life worth living. May you continue to nourish yourselves with poetic and inclusive imagery, remaining faithful to your values. May you always live by your passions, propelled by the wind of freedom.”

The question now is who will be Gucci’s next creative director. In the meantime, the company’s design office will be in charge of the direction of the house until a new creative organization is announced.

Who will be chosen? Place your bets…