Welcome to the Gucci cosmos: a time travelling, gender bending utopia of shiny, sequined people, absurd prints and patterns and a cacophony of colours.
It’s Cruise season, so we’ll happily indulge in Alessandro Michele’s fantasy of a 13th century rave, where masquerading harlequins sporting psychedelic diamond prints would mingle with perinelly stylish ‘innamorati,’ or lovers, dressed in tudor-esque ruffled collars.
This is Gucci’s divine commedia dell’arte after all.
For Michele, playing in the absurd and avant garde is well within his wheelhouse. So, when he chose to host his recent show in the Castel del Monte, we immediately drew conclusions to renaissance savoir faire and rich tradition that has inspired so much of Gucci’s work.
The 13th-Century citadel, perched on top of a hill on the outskirts of the Apulia region, a mere stone throw from the Adriatic in the stiletto of Italy’s proverbial boot, represents so much more than a now desolate relic in Italy’s vivid history.
“I thought the castle shouldn’t be kept shrouded in silence, but had to be lived and celebrated as it probably was when it was built, a sort of California, the Silicon Valley of the time,” explained the designer to a publication following the show.
Set under a super flower blood moon in Scorpio, we can’t help but wonder if the name of the Resort collection, Cosmogonie, is a serendipitous coincidence or an act of fate. Michele’s accompanying letter sees him transfixed with the notions of consitallions, with the celestial references taking on new meaning through the borderline ‘Whimsigoth’ designs.
With occult references apparent in Michele’s ovuer, the transcendental and mélange aesthetic of this collection certainly proved that witches were front of mind. Of course, trust Gucci to distil this into 101 looks.
However, staying true to his ethos of a proverbial “rave”, Michele offers something for everyone. For the Vixen, a collection of sheer skirts and camisoles complete with a grand coat.
For the joker, a series of multicoloured striped, diamond and grid patterned latex coats and fur dusters.
For the supreme, a midnight coloured sweeping gown complete embroidered constellations, 16th century high neck collars and chartreuse gloves.
For the Gucci lover? One of everything, neatly wrapped in the iconic ornate moss green box.
