Inside Gucci's Masquerade for Fall/Winter 2019
THE INVITE
A raw wooden case, bearing an inscription in Greek alphabet. This morning, in Milan, the archaeologist Alessandro Michele delivered to his guests of his show a white mask molded with the features of Hermaphrodite. In Greek mythology, the son of Hermes and Aphrodite is the archetype of androgyny.
THE SPACE
The invitation foreshadowed a remake of Gucci's Cruise 2019 show at the Alyscamps in Arles. However, this time the show took place in the Gucci Hub, which was transformed into a domed ice palace. The space's 100-metre-long catwalk was lined with mirrors and 120,000 blinking LED lights.
THE COLLECTION
Of course, there were masks. Some archaic, in reference to the work of the artist Eduardo Costa in the 1960s. Others more suited for punks, Kubrickians or Circassians, always worn on the sidelines, as if to emphasize that one is always another.
In terms of clothing, the visceral hybridity of Gucci by Michele for this seeason was influenced by the tailoring of the '70s and '70s, coupled with anachronistic details: Marie Antoinette brocade, the lace jabot and facets of Harlequin, the harnesses of Siouxsie Sioux, the shin guards of Hercules and even the knee pads of M'Bappé. Once again, Alessandro Michele has presented an intriguing mix of eras and styles that keeps us guessing what's next.
Discover Gucci's Fall/Winter 2019 collection:
