There’s a real battle over copying and ownership in fashion right now. It’s a classic “Who did it first?” versus “Who did it better?” debate. On one hand, Emilio Pucci should be grateful that Raf Simons, a fashion world god to legions of millennials and Gen Z-ers, utilized a Pucci-inspired print in his spring 2021 collection. On the other, well, how exactly does that help Pucci’s Florentine business?
Indirectly, it seems to have helped a lot. In the months since, I have seen vintage dealers clamoring over archival Pucci items, while celebrities like Jennifer Lopez pose in swirling Pucci print bikinis. The design team was impeccably smart about nodding to the Simons reference while establishing itself as the progenitor of groovy, sexy, allover prints. The key item in the fall 2021 collection is a zip-front bodysuit in light yellow and teal patterns. Inspired by the first thing Emilio Pucci ever designed, a ski suit, the bodysuit is layered underneath double-face cashmere wrap coats, quilted orange midiskirts, and printed velvet jackets. It’s not hard to imagine all our favorite bodacious babes trying it out in their selfies very soon.
But Emilio Pucci is more than just an Insta-brand. It’s a resort label at heart, with a well-off, stylish clientele. Here, the design team puts forth chic cashmere pencil skirts, tie-neck blouses, and a series of sheer organza pieces with small crystal and feather details. Still, it’s hard to resist the millennial allure of a sorbet orange chiffon mini worn with matching tights or the four-piece knit sets—crop top, cardi, mini, briefs—that appear in the fall 2021 collection. A new generation has been turned on to the Pucci way, and however they got there, it’s sure to be good for business.
