“One must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a shining star,” said Friedrich Nietzsche. That’s exactly what I perceive every time Demna Gvasalia, the current creative director of Gucci, presents a new collection.
That shine was a constant element in the pieces is undeniable. But, in addition to that, other codes of exaggeration dominated the runway: leather, furs, and animal print. The display of the brand’s core pieces during the Gucci Cruise show this Saturday in Times Square, New York, made it clear that Demna is working to inaugurate a new phase for the maison, just as Tom Ford achieved. An aesthetic somewhere between Mob Wife, Vamp Glam, and the style of the Italian-American, if that’s even possible.
From florals to bamboo, the designer’s intention was to build a complete wardrobe for his clients. I see a clear interest in keeping the brand commercial and competitive. It didn’t seem like the development of a random idea. It was a statement. These are the pieces a Gucci client should own: from the classic trench coat to the revisited satin blazer and trousers set, from the basic blouse to the elegant evening dress.
Everything reminded me a lot of House of Gucci, not surprisingly, a direct reference to Italian glamour and elegance combined with the fantastical history of the brand’s founding family.
The genius of a designer lies precisely in blending their own signature with the DNA of a brand, and Demna seems to float effortlessly on this idea. It’s possible to look at a piece from the brand and immediately recognize the creator’s language: the trousers with zippers from one side to the other, the bag shaped like a confectionery box, the giant stole replacing the coat, or the puff coat that envelops the body. So yes, it’s possible.
And even if the aesthetics of the models may seem too conceptual, with exaggerated smoky makeup, the choice of different silhouettes and celebrities like Tom Brady and Paris Hilton seems to communicate that the clothes themselves remain extremely wearable for the masses.
I foresee retail versions of many of the pieces presented soon. And perhaps even a resurgence of the unbridled desire of fashionistas for the brand, as happened in the Alessandro Michele era. But this time, with a bit more class.
