The Gucci Group N.V. (Amsterdam) has announced it is replacing its designer of women’s apparel, Alessandra Facchinetti, after only her second collection, a move executives within the company said was in response to the lackluster reception by retailers and critics.
Frida Giannini, the designer of Gucci’s shoes and handbags, was named as the new creative director of women’s wear, a promotion that reflects the commercial success of Gucci’s accessories business.
Both women were part of the team named to replace design executive Tom Ford after he left Gucci last April.
“We’ve been so impressed with the job that the accessories designer has done that we are very optimistic that expanding her responsibility over apparel will be great for the ready-to-wear business as well,” James Gold, ceo of luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman (New York), told The New York Times. He said sales of Gucci shoes and handbags were up significantly since late last year. Women’s apparel under the Gucci label, he said, has been “stable. “
“There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential in apparel,” Gold told The Times. “This change will be good for the business.”
Parent company PPR (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute S.A., Paris) is clearly serious about its announced intention to double the revenue of the Gucci label to more than $4 billion in the next seven years. Gucci’s accessories business is critical to that strategy, as sales of handbags and shoes account for more than 80 percent of its sales.