Gucci Cruise 2018 Review
The Gucci woman is impossibly lucky. She has simultaneously managed to inherit every single one of her female ancestors’ clothes, not give a damn about wearing them on the subway, while mixing them with hip hop tees she stole from interesting one night stands. This is a woman who lives off of spongey cake, roasted duck, and overpriced teas she finds in seedy flea markets. She makes everything she does into an event, without being exhausting. Her friends think she cares a little bit too much about nature and history. But that doesn’t stop her from wanting to live in a palace in Florence one day, even though she can hardly afford the rent to her studio flat filled with clothes and 70’s furniture.
What’s incredibly funny and amazing is how Alessandro Michele has completely changed the definition of Gucci in just two short years. From lost, dated, and forgettable collections under Frida Giannini, Gucci lost its footing without a strong and original image. That is why Michele is so important. When he was announced as creative director of Gucci in 2015, from the get-go there was increased public interest. Gucci’s new maximalist aesthetic, combining references from nearly every decade and smashing them together in the most original and modern way. Gucci has now only gotten better and better with time. Collections have been conveyor belts of over a hundred looks, each more glamorous, sparkly, and colorful than the last.
When you actually think about it, Michele’s Gucci works perfectly. The celebration of the eccentric and loud spirit is such a separation of the Céline-esque minimalism of the last decade. Adding enticing, fun colors and vast amounts of product that inspires originality from every one of their customers, Gucci is changing the fashion game, rather than defining a uniform their customers must follow. For this Gucci Cruise show, the city of Florence provided the primary source of inspiration. Under the de’ Medici family during the Italian Renaissance, Florence flourished with artist being commissioned by a very wealthy state. Frescoes and astounding portraiture became priceless works of art over time.
The models of the Gucci runway emulated these Renaissance portraits. Symbolic start-symbolled diadems and pearl encrusted wimples decorated the Gucci woman. Modest and flowing silhouettes provided chic covering as the models walked through the Palatine Gallery, a hub of Renaissance artwork, emulating the 500 paintings on the gilded walls. Platform heels, paisley pajamas, turbans, flared trousers, fringed leather jackets, and oversized spectacles all brought forth 1970’s vibes, and the list goes on. The most magnificent pieces were the glittering fur trimmed cape covered in gold, crystalized knit sweater and pants, classic Hollywood gowns with exaggerated shoulders, and the logo embossed and fur coat, covered in plastic. Hopefully Gucci’s kitsch will continue to be relevant, because it is a healthy separation from the mundane commerciality that seems to be dominating fashion shows.
Photo Credits: VogueRunway.com