Okay, so Gucci’s parent company Kering just dropped a plot twist worthy of a Netflix finale. They’ve hired Luca de Meo, former CEO of Renault (yes, the car company) as their new group CEO, starting this September. Not a designer, not a luxury exec, not even from fashion at all. A car guy. And honestly? This might be the smartest move they’ve made in a long time.
Let’s break it down. Kering’s had a bit of a rough ride lately. Sales are down, especially at Gucci, and the group’s stock price has taken a hit, more than 60% off its peak. There’s been this looming feeling that something needs to shift, but no one was sure how bold they’d actually go. Turns out, very bold.
Hiring de Meo might seem random, but it’s giving strategic reinvention. The guy has a rep for turning around sinking ships, he didn’t just lead Renault through one of its biggest resets, he also revamped Seat and Fiat. What he brings isn’t fashion expertise, it’s structure, efficiency, long-term thinking. And for a luxury industry that’s been coasting on aesthetics and hype, that’s kind of exactly what’s needed.
Especially when we’re talking about sustainability.
Right now, luxury fashion loves to shout about its eco credentials. Kering actually does more than most, they’ve got environmental profit and loss reporting, they’ve worked with The RealReal and Vestiaire Collective, and they set some of the earliest science-based climate targets in the industry. But the issue is, it’s all still a bit… separate. Sustainability is often its own department, when it really needs to be in every decision.
That’s where de Meo comes in. Coming from the car world means he understands systems. He gets logistics, emissions tracking, circular product strategy, and data-driven innovation. Imagine applying that kind of thinking to fashion supply chains, deadstock use, carbon-neutral retail, and resale at scale. The potential is huge.
It also opens up a much bigger conversation: should more fashion brands be hiring outside the echo chamber? Like, why do we keep recycling the same five execs from brand to brand when the real solutions might come from tech, transport, or sustainability science? This could be the beginning of a real shift in how we define leadership in fashion and who gets to lead the future.
For UK creatives, this is one to watch. If the second biggest luxury group in the world is bringing in someone from outside the industry to lead on sustainability and strategy, it’s a sign that the rules are changing. Maybe the best thing you can bring to the table isn’t just your style, it’s your systems thinking, your climate literacy, your ability to connect culture to infrastructure.
This also opens doors for creatives who don’t fit the traditional mould. If you’re someone who gets how fashion links to tech, or how to build circular business models, or even just have experience in cross-disciplinary collaboration, this is your moment. The future is hybrid and creatives who can flex across worlds will be the ones defining it.
And on a bigger scale, if luxury becomes more efficient, circular, and values-led because of this shake up, it could help set new norms across the industry. Think of the ripple effect: better supply chains, fewer overproduced collections, smarter use of materials, and more room for innovation that doesn’t just mean new silhouettes, it means new systems.
Is it a gamble? Absolutely. But in a world where the same old leadership is clearly not working, this move actually gives hope. Sustainability in fashion doesn’t need more pledges, it needs bold structure. And maybe, just maybe, that starts with a car guy running Gucci.