I mean let's be honest with ourselves: Gucci is an accessories brand. I don't believe for a second that they were EVER looking for a 'real' designer.
It is strange that Frida never landed another accessories gig though. She's responsible for some really iconic pieces. Does she have a nasty egocentric attitude or something?
After the success of Tom they were.
People were also buying clothes…
The simple reality was that Frida was more ambitious than Alessandra and the moment they decided to formalize the power of each person and give them lights, it was doomed.
3 person with an ego cannot be creative directors of Gucci after Tom Ford. And as you said, with Gucci being a leather goods house, the person with an advantage is the CD of leather goods and accessories.
John Ray’s collections were good, much better than the womenswear by Alessandra. But Frida had free hands. And with the success of the flora collection (which was a capsule detached from the runway collection), she sealed the deal and had elements to plead her case.
Why she never landed another accessories gig? Ego probably. Too expensive also and maybe attitude too.
When you have been the CD for Gucci, with the CEO as your husband too so a level of power quite important, it’s difficult to imagine going somewhere where you will have to make compromises.
And she wasn’t just going to be an accessories designer. Probably CD or nothing. Maybe she did some gigs secretly as a consultant…