I feel like Gucci is the cat of the fashion world. The brand hasn't quite had nine lives yet, but it has had at least four in my lifetime. The Gucci of my childhood and adolescence was synonymous with blatantly counterfeit bags and tee shirts. The Gucci of my early adulthood oozed Tom Ford' signature sex appeal. The Gucci of my thirties was marked by Frida Giannini's hit or miss bags. And now we have Alessandro Michele's Baroque-inspired androgyny. For me, the two most exciting eras at Gucci are Tom Ford's and Alessandro Michele's, but for very different reasons.  

"I promise I'll keep dreaming forever, because fashion is a beautiful dream," #AlessandroMichele. The creative director in a jacquard three-piece suit, won the award for International Accessories Designer at last night’s @britishfashioncouncil #FashionAwards, presented by @jaredleto.

A photo posted by Gucci (@gucci) on Dec 6, 2016 at 2:58am PST

The Tom Ford era woke up a sleepy brand. All of the sudden, his velvet flares were on everyone from Madonna to Gwyneth, and it was exciting to watch. His sleek brand of notice-me sexiness was just what we needed after the minimalist 90's. Fast forward to today, and there is no doubt that fashion is undergoing some massive shifts, and Alessandro Michele has played a large part. He has somehow managed to tap into the spirit of the times with embellished surfaces that speak to an Instagram generation who grew up on mass market everything and now craves uniqueness.  The new Gucci is perfect for this moment: it's bright and individualistic and perfect for social media. So what's the problem?  

An oversize hooded sweatshirt with Gucci print over a silk dress with lace details from #GucciCruise17 by #AlessandroMichele featured in @voguebrasil. #GucciEditorials Photographer: @PhilippeKliot Stylist: @yasminesterea A photo posted by Gucci (@gucci) on Jan 2, 2017 at 9:20am PST

It is so distinctive, that it will always be associated with this era. Five years from now Michele's Gucci will have run its course and gone to the trend graveyard along with square toed shoes and Ed Hardy. When the fashion tides change (and they always do), Alessandro Michele might be too closely linked to his niche aesthetic. I predict that the pendulum will swing dramatically in the next year. But which way will it go? Going minimalist would be too extreme of a shift for Michele, but perhaps he could tap into the 70s for inspiration? Whichever way it goes, if Alessandro Michelle wants to stay relevant he needs to start evolving his aesthetic and collections... now.  

*Feature image by HPT-Photo via Flickr