Maybe it's the fact that she's expecting her first baby this March, maybe not, but there was a ladylike, not quite demure, quality to Frida Giannini's pre-fall collection for Gucci. A chunky striped turtleneck and full skirt evoked her beloved 1970s, but otherwise the clothes seemed mostly to channel the fifties, what with the hourglass silhouettes of dresses, the neat and trim tweed skirtsuits, the off-the-shoulder tops perched above slim pencil skirts, and the coats with their sculpted, couture-ish shapes.
Not unlike at her men's show earlier this week, color played a major role; and animal print, which has emerged as one of the season's strongest trends, was also key. A halterneck gown in jaguar-print chiffon offered a taste of the after-dark drama the designer usually showcases on the runway, which made it stand out. Conservative isn't the right word for this collection, controlled is. It felt new for Giannini, and it clicked.
