Alessandro Michele’s latest collection for Gucci—his second for the iconic Italian fashion house—was reminiscent of a few former fashion eras that felt a bit bizarre when compared with the brand’s assortments of the past few years. Naturally, there’s nothing fashion loves more than designs that seem a bit out of place: quirk and whimsy are the things street style snaps and highly-liked Instagram posts are made of in this modern age.
The retro inspiration and creativity here were heavy, though there was a healthy helping of modernity to go along with them both. The pieces were incredibly ornamental and sometimes offbeat including pom pom-accented lace-up pumps, lace-laden button-front cardigans, zigzag print suits, berets paired with sheer tunics, and hippie chic lace maxi dresses with bell sleeves and allover floral embroidery.
At times, the wares had a downright nerdy flair. A pink suit for the gents that seemed to emerge straight out of an 80’s film, oversized square tortoise shell glasses accompanied by a prim and proper shirtdress, fringe-accented loafers with functional block heels, and smart button-front shirt and trouser combinations were all on display.
A girlish tinge shined through with a wispy tiered gown cinched at the waist with a rosette-embellished belt, a pink quilted coat with fur cuffs, flower and insect-embroidered toppers, and sheer pleated skirts. A printed fur-collared coat felt very Margot Tenenbaum, while a bubblegum pink fur skirt suit was one of the collection’s most impractical looks, but sugary sweet from start to finish.
Colors were fiery and vibrant including mustard, teal, fuchsia, baby blue, and more.
Lace injected romance by way of sheer camisoles, a sheer long-sleeve LBD, a knee-length full-skirted frock that was among the most demure of the designs at hand, and a collared shirt dress that was too short for the office, but could easily work for a night out or a cocktail party.
There was a whole lot of grandiosity present and though it wasn’t for the faint of heart, it was refreshing to see from Gucci. Michele has only been at the design helm for two seasons and the brand couldn’t look more different than it did under Frida Giannini. I think I can speak for many in the industry when I say I’m excited to see how his reign at the fashion house develops.
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Images: Style.com
