CAMILLE MICELI | PUCCI

Interview by Filep Motwary

For the past thirty years, Camille Miceli has remained a discreet architect of body-conscious luxury, her ideas quietly infiltrating some of the most iconic fashion houses. Today, as artistic director of Pucci—founded in 1947 by Marchese Emilio Pucci—she stands guard at the crossroads of heritage and future vision, translating the historic codes of jet-set culture for a new generation. Since assuming her role in 2021, she has breathed new life into the Italian house’s kaleidoscopic spirit, filtering it through Parisian cool and an invigorating joie de vivre.

Interviewing her was no easy task. The “choreography” of the fashion world requires months of planning. Still, the opportunity to get to know a woman whose name may not always have made headlines, but whose influence is undeniable, proved irresistible. We spoke online twenty days after she presented the Fall/Winter 2025 collection at Milan’s Palazzo Clerici, in late September, just as her peers were unveiling their Spring/Summer 2026 collections.

Her presence on screen was relaxed, her energy unmistakable. At 53, she wears experience with a lightness that only true confidence affords. There is an innate ease about her that bridges any distance, making the conversation flow as if between old friends.

As she speaks, her vision for Pucci—an house that in recent years has passed from designer to designer with varying degrees of success—becomes increasingly clear. Her résumé could be described as a map of contemporary fashion: she began at Chanel, moved to Louis Vuitton under Marc Jacobs, experienced the theatrical genius of John Galliano at Dior as well as the architectural rigor of Raf Simons, before returning to Vuitton, this time under Nicolas Ghesquière. As head of accessories there and now as creative director at Pucci, she has been described as one of fashion’s “quiet forces.” At the Italian house, she draws on this experience to craft a joyful maximalism. Her collections overflow with prints, fluid silhouettes, sensuality, and a contemporary dynamism that remains deeply respectful of what came before.

Four years in, her work unfolds as a refined dialogue between past and present, art and freedom. “Fashion, at its best, isn’t just about clothes—it’s about life itself,” she believes. For her, it is a continuous education. “I’ve known fashion since the day I was born,” she tells me, speaking of her mother, a stylist who collaborated with the legendary photographer and filmmaker Guy Bourdin. Though her mother later left styling to host a fashion television show on Berlusconi’s La Cinq in the mid-1980s, Camille’s early exposure at her side shaped her aesthetic. She vividly recalls accompanying her on shoots, observing the creative tension behind some of fashion’s most iconic images. Listening to her, I can’t help but think that this early immersion in Bourdin’s daring use of color planted a seed that would later bloom at Pucci—a house equally renowned for its bold palette.

She describes the fashion world of that era as an entirely different universe: fewer images per day, larger budgets, and strict standards that demanded both creativity and discipline. “My mother had an enormous influence on me,” she admits. “She didn’t have a proper office. She put together looks in our living room, and I watched her, fascinated.”

Her own professional journey began at Chanel in 1989, when haute couture still felt almost like a family affair. “I was 17 and did whatever I was asked,” she says. “My mother knew Karl Lagerfeld, so it was easy for me to enter that world.” Despite her youth, she made a strategic decision: to absorb knowledge from every corner of her environment, from PR to castings. She assisted at fittings, observing Lagerfeld at work—a masterclass in artistic excellence. “I have very warm memories of that experience,” she emphasizes.

Her next step was joining Louis Vuitton under Marc Jacobs, just before the debut of his first prêt-à-porter collection, which redefined the brand’s image. “We were trying to define who the Louis Vuitton woman was,” she recalls. Though her role was in communications, she soon gravitated toward show production, introducing the theatricality she had loved at Chanel. She didn’t hesitate to encourage Jacobs to build collections with a coherent narrative. Pregnant at the time, after the birth of her son she asked to move from PR to the creative studio—a request that was granted. “At one point he asked me to design an earring,” she remembers, laughing as she lights a cigarette. “It was unexpected.” But it was also life-changing. “You have to be curious and seize opportunities,” she says.

The conversation turns to her years at Dior, between 2009 and 2014—a period that included Galliano’s turbulent departure. A more structured house, Dior helped her better understand how each brand approaches fashion differently. What did she carry with her to Pucci? “Some very important things, like precision. When you design jewelry, detail is everything. You work almost mathematically, and you immediately know whether something works or not.” She also speaks about how just a few millimeters can make all the difference in a garment’s length. “Karl was a genius at that,” she tells me.

Her work at Pucci is not about copying a glorious heritage, but about a delicate balance between respect and provocation. “I enjoy doing that,” she explains. “I’m nothing more than an employee—and even if I don’t like the term, I have to immerse myself in what Pucci represents and merge it with my own aesthetic.” The house’s iconic prints are, naturally, her starting point. “The star of the brand is the print. I redesigned them the way I believe Emilio Pucci would do today—perfection, for him, was the result of imperfections.” For her, the kaleidoscopic patterns are not merely colors or motifs, but a way of generating beautiful emotions.

“From day one, I wanted Pucci to be desirable but also accessible—so that women feel, when wearing it, that they belong to a broader community. It’s important not to speak to just one type of woman, but to all of them: from twenty-year-old girls to elegant ladies and rappers. I like the idea of community expressed through clothing.”

That, precisely, is the essence of Pucci: a blend of allure, sensuality, and accessibility. Within this framework, the party dress—a timeless symbol of freedom—remains central. “The pandemic made us realize that we need to enjoy every moment,” she reflects. “We can feel comfortable without necessarily being discreet, which is relevant because it brings joy.” She places particular emphasis on confidence. “My goal is to make women feel assured when they choose Pucci. Through these clothes, the female body embarks on an aesthetic adventure.”

A member of an aristocratic Florentine family, Emilio Pucci was initially trained for a diplomatic career. He earned a doctorate in social sciences but enlisted in the Air Force in 1941, remaining there after the war. In 1947, while on leave, a *Harper’s Bazaar* photographer noticed the unconventional ski outfit he was wearing and asked him to design a women’s version. Three years later, this would become a colorful collection that was met with enthusiastic acclaim. His early designs stood out for their vibrant colors and abstract motifs, inspired by Mediterranean nature and architecture. Pucci also became known for his slim-cut ski pants, silk jersey dresses—among his most widely copied creations—as well as lingerie, swimwear, and accessories. He ventured into menswear, fragrances, and ceramics. His clients included celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren, further cementing his reputation.

Sixty-five years later, Camille Miceli introduced a radical operating model to the house: two collections a year following a “see now, buy now” approach, bridging desire and instant gratification. “I wanted our clients to be able to buy immediately. We live in an age overwhelmed by information,” she stresses. Her philosophy extends beyond fashion; it is an ode to *savoir vivre* and *bien vivre*, values that are deeply democratic. “After meeting with Delphine Arnault and Sidney Toledano to discuss my vision for the brand, I went home confident in this ‘recipe,’ which ultimately worked extremely well. It’s important that they entrusted me with such a major project,” she says.

Among her priorities is enabling Pucci to “speak” to a generation that lives between screens and airports, transforming it into “an everyday brand—not just something you wear on vacation, but also in the city.” As we wrap up our conversation, Miceli tells me that her experience can be distilled into a mantra: “Do things that lift your mood and enjoy them. Life is short. We didn’t come into this world to suffer. I remind myself of that every day. If something bothers you, try to change it.”

*Warm thanks to Giulia Lazzarelli, Dylan Colussi, and Laudomia Pucci.*