For his first show back in Milan, creative director Alessandro Michele shows a male collection. Michele’s first men’s Gucci collection gives us gender-neutral vibes; offering a brand new take on streetwear.
Fashion is forever reinventing itself; constantly revisiting former decades, resulting in a new hybrid each time. Now, we are seeing something truly fresh and innovative – a brand new idea which is sure to change the shape of men’s (and women’s wear) for decades to come.
Never one to disappoint, Gucci FW22 gave us some healthy heart palpitations via Milan Fashion Week. Michele’s first Gucci men’s collection has some powerful feminine undertones; showing us that gender is just another label to be played with.
Women open the show, wearing double-breasted suits in navy.
“I’ve always been halfway between two genders,”
Michelle tells WWD. He continues, “I want to examine the meaning of menswear, of masculinity, and how women can adopt it.”
Titled “Exquisite Gucci” the presentation takes place in a mirror-lined hallway for maximum impact. Per Rain, Michelle explains that,
“I use the metaphor of the magical mirror to approach the phantasmagorical power of fashion,”
The show entertained a pregnant Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Jared Leto, Jodie Turner-Smith and an array of other celebrity guests.
Casual Elevation
Michele has been creative director of Gucci for seven years now. In that time, Dior and Louis Vuitton have collaborated with Nike, Prada with Adidas, Balenciaga with Yeezy Gap. Now, Gucci is up; Michele’s latest modus operandi is an Adidas streetwear collab. With high-end tracksuits and power tailoring, it’s a fresh take on high-end / low-end crossover.
“The idea was to break the codes of sportswear,”
says Michelle. The distinction between high and low culture, and how that spirit is still resonating on the streets today. A red tracksuit serves as the collection’s centre point, inspired by a do-it-yourself Adidas garment designed by Laura Whitcomb, worn by Madonna in 1993.
Elegant casual elevates a perfectly cut royal blue corduroy suit, featuring the Adidas trefoil leaf insignia. The trousers feature the sporting giant’s iconic side stripes and are styled with a leather necktie and bamboo purse.
“We share the stripes, the webbing — that can’t be too similar,” Michele explains.
“We also share the idea of sport that’s chic, and it opened up a conversation,”
the designer says.
Kaleidoscopic Fashion
On the raunchier side of the collection, are fetish-inspired lace catsuits and gigantic furs, sheer corsets and stud-covered black leather.
“Fashion is like a kaleidoscope,” he continued, bringing up his choice to use a trippy mirrored runway set. “You can’t stop its power to change.”
Explains Michelle.
The collection is becoming available through pop-ups worldwide – which he had his hand in designing. Check out the full presentation below:
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