Gucci’s Alessandro Michele is a great raconteur. His collections seem to narrate a singular tale with no real beginning or end, calling to mind the Ouroboros, the mythological serpent or dragon eating its own tail. They’re a medley of contrasts, often laced with erudite references. Yet Snoopy, Donald Duck, and a bizarre and ever-growing menagerie of rabbits, tigers, cats, dragons, and, yes, snakes are also part of his vision. It’s a wondrous, seductive fantasy world, and it’s not easy to escape its spell.
Every chapter adds some new element to the narrative, eschewing categories, as well as seasonal and gender concerns. For all Michele’s love of history, this is a modern, shrewd approach, one that resonates both creatively and in the business arena. And the designer’s quite prodigious reservoir of ideas shows no sign of exhaustion; in the Pre-Fall lineup, he added layer upon layer to his already vast catalog of imagery.
The lookbook was shot in Rome in two historical locations: the Antica Libreria Cascianelli, an old bookstore specializing in heraldry and art history, and the Antica Spezieria di Santa Maria della Scala, a 16th-century apothecary that apparently catered to popes. Both proved perfect as backdrops to Michele’s aesthetic and its unconventional yet fecund dialogue between past, present, and future.
Stylewise, the new key word was activewear, which was given an almost lysergic treatment. Stirrup pants, the item du jour, were interpreted in übercool, slinky versions worn under almost everything, from demure pleated skirts to bon ton shirtdresses in printed silk twill. A sporty tracksuit presented in the signature Flora print looked quite sensational, with frilly ruffled shoulders and the new Marmont bag belt cinching its waist. The collection also saw the return of ’80s-style leggings; knitted in a colorful mushroom pattern, they were layered on stockings emblazoned with the Gucci logo for a truly maximalist impact.
As for the already crowded Gucci menagerie, a new furry friend has just checked in: the not-so-domestic angry cat, roaring like a tiger on a fringed boho cape in rainbow stripes. Elsewhere, the ’90s-streetwear vibe that the designer has often reworked was translated into oversize bombers and hooded sweaters, sprouting from multicolored alpaca furs or paired with ethereal chiffon floral dresses. As all other outfits in the collection, they were so richly decorated and in such bright, lively, cheerful colors, they looked almost lit from within. They could stop traffic anywhere.
