If fashion week’s sudden change in cities and time zones had left show-goers somewhat disorientated, once the Gucci show started there certainly wasn’t a doubt where you were. Arcade Fire’s frantic new single Reflektor thrust through the speakers as a shiny steel catwalk reflected the glam, glaring lights, which blazed over Frida Giannini’s meshed up collection of activewear-turned-partywear. What Gucci referred to as ‘new opulence’ saw the oriental illustrations of Erté turned into abstract prints, which looked part carnivorous plants and part seventies wallpaper. The Far East was further imported in the shape of kimono-like detailing on dresses that seemed like robes, while super lightweight cocktail dresses with lots of straps flaunted more than a little bra and, well, some more straps, which also appeared in shows and the shape of very, very long frills on a purple bag.
If the meeting between oriental prints, sevnties silhouettes, and then sportswear sounds like a crazy constellation, it wouldn’t be untrue. While the heavy amounts of chiffon added a sense of elegance to all the lurex and mesh, the collection’s contrasting elements ultimately had a clashing effect, which may or not have been the intention. But as far as kicking off Milan goes, Gucci got us going.
