Frida Giannini and CEO Patrizio di Marco to exit Gucci

12 Dec '14

3 min read

The Italian fashion house Gucci is set to bid adieu to two of its most significant long-time employees in the year 2015.

According to a press release by the label’s French owner Kering Group, the Florentine label will witness the departure of its chief executive officer Patrizio di Marco on January 1st and the exit of creative director Frida Giannini at the end of February, 2015.

Patrizio di Marco, who has been helming the brand for over six years, will be replaced by Marco Bizzarri, the CEO of Kering’s ‘Luxury – Couture & Leather Goods’ division.

François-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of Kering, said in a statement, “I truly enjoyed working with Patrizio over those years. The great performances achieved by the Gucci brand during his tenure stand as a testament to his success. His strategic vision, passion, dedication and charisma were key to bring Gucci where it is today. I want to warmly thank him and wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Before stepping down from her position, Giannini, who joined Gucci in 2002, will showcase her final Fall/Winter 2015-2016 womenswear collection on February 25, 2015.

While talking about Gucci’s creative director of almost a decade, Pinault states, “I would like to thank Frida for her extraordinary passion, dedication and contribution to the Gucci brand. She has been the sole Creative director of Gucci for close to a decade. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering the level and breadth of responsibility of overviewing all the aspects related to product and image for such a global brand during such a long period of time. I am truly grateful to her for her achievements, creativity and the passion that she has always instilled in her work.”

Patrizio di Marco joined the Kering Group in 2001 as CEO of Bottega Veneta and has been instrumental in laying down the foundation for the strong momentum that the brand enjoys today. As Gucci CEO, Marco defined the label elevation strategy and played a significant role in recapturing the sophisticated consumer, improving the overall quality of the sales mix and conquering market share in the upscale segment. Under his leadership, while great emphasis was put on the artisanal soul of Gucci, the brand continued to be at the forefront of innovation and became one of the best performing brands in the luxury industry.

Been with the Italian label for over 12 years, Giannini assumed the role of head of design for women’s ready-to-wear in 2005. In 2006, she was appointed as sole creative director of the Florentine House. She brought the brand to a full circle by placing a balance between Gucci’s fashion authority and its artisanal roots. She gave new life to the iconic status of the house by bringing the heritage of Gucci into the present and the future.

Marco Bizzarri joined the Kering group in 2005 as CEO of Stella McCartney and was appointed CEO of Bottega Veneta in January 2009. During his tenure, sales and profit of the House increased dramatically. Since April 2014, he has been the CEO of Kering’s ‘Luxury – Couture & Leather Goods’ division.

Established in 1963, Kering is a French multinational company that develops and distributes an ensemble of powerful luxury, sport and lifestyle brands, such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, McQ and Balenciaga, in some 120 countries. (PB)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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