Giannini leaves Gucci early

The Italian designer, who worked at the Milan-based fashion brand since 2002 and has been creative director for the past 9 years, has already parted ways with the company, a week before the men’s collection is due to be presented on January 19, and just over a month before the women’s show on February 25.

The brand was tight-lipped about the departure. “I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding contribution that Frida Giannini has made to Gucci’s legacy during her nine-year tenure as creative director,” Marco Bizzarri, president and chief executive officer of Gucci said in a statement Monday. The two coming collections will be completed and presented by in-house design teams.

This move leads to further speculation about who is set to take over the top job at one of the biggest names in the fashion industry. Rumors are already swirling that Giannini’s deputy Alessandro Michele, currently Gucci’s head accessories designer, is in line for the promotion, while others are pointing to fellow Kering employee Joseph Altuzarra, and even Riccardo Tisci, the creative director at rival LVMH-backed luxury brand Givenchy. The brand is promising an announcement “in due course”.