In an exclusive conversation with BOF Editor-in-Chief Tim Blanks, Alessandro Michele opened up about Gucci’s newest venture, Vault — an innovative concept store that blends the past, present, and future of fashion. Designed as both a digital archive and a creative playground, Vault showcases Gucci’s finest vintage pieces alongside select collections from young designers, offering an exciting platform for models, modeling, and fashion enthusiasts alike.
Vault, which translates to “Safe” or “Sanctuary,” is more than a name — it’s a philosophy. “It’s an online vault of beautiful things,” Michele explains. “A place where the past, present, and perfect future can exist together.” From Gucci’s century-long archive to newly restored pieces, every item feels alive, curated not just for aesthetics but for storytelling, something Michele believes is central to fashion.
The platform also emphasizes emerging designers and their models. Michele highlights the Conversations section, featuring names like Ahluwalia, Shanel Campbell, and Stefan Cooke. “This is the laboratory of Vault,” says Tim Blanks. “It confirms how relevant fashion remains when the next generation of designers and models is recognized and nurtured.” For Michele, modeling isn’t just about clothes on a runway — it’s about embodying the stories these pieces carry.
Vintage items, hunted from auction houses and private collections, are brought to life by Gucci artisans and the designer himself. Michele describes the process as adding “something crazy on top of the old stuff,” much like finding a Baroque fountain around an ancient obelisk in Rome. Models wearing these pieces help reinterpret their legacy, showing how fashion can evolve and remain playful, practical, and human.
Vault is more than an online store; it’s a meeting place for models, fashion lovers, and creatives who see clothing as living art. Michele envisions a world where fashion isn’t confined to a single format — runways, stores, or social media — but is a dynamic medium that can teach, inspire, and connect. “Fashion is life,” he says. “Models, designers, and the stories they carry are all part of the same journey.”
By combining Gucci’s archival treasures with the energy of young designers and models, Vault becomes a platform where creativity, modeling, and artistry converge, celebrating fashion as an endless dialogue between past, present, and future.
