Opulence, antiques and eccentricity: inside Gucci’s 2020 Resort Collection
A focal anchor in Alessandro Michele’s electrifying vision for Gucci is epitomised by a ceaseless dialogue between conflicting epochs. Two months after the Maison announced it would be staging the Resort 2020 show in the city of Rome, the label revealed an invitation to sit and relish the collection live stream from the Capitoline Museums. Vacillating from settings such as The Promenade Des Alyscamps in Arles, The Cloisters of Westminster Abbey to The Palatine Gallery at Pitti Palace, Mr. Michele has become notable for his exceptional ability to subvert each and every show into a sublime yet terrific momentum to quench his audience. As such, there was zero doubt that within his latest show, invading the magnificence of Roman ancient culture, Gucci’s creative director would have been no exception.
According to the label, Alessandro Michele opted for the venue principally for its historic magnetism, evoking memories that constitute a fundamental part of his early infancy. Enriched by classic works, an opulent collection of antiquities and some of Rome’s most imperative relics, the Museums located on the Capitoline vicinities truly benefited from a collection filled with sartorial overstatement and an extraordinary legacy behind.
The mood kicked off with a prevailing rattled sound, almost alluding to an allegory of a “divination” ritual. The atmosphere was painted dynamically, added by an impalpable yet aggrieved feel of alert and gloom. Fervour turned into fear. Fear turned into anguish. Anguish turned into drama. The runway felt somewhat infested by thundering phantoms. The show didn’t turn down the empowering volume customarily portrayed by the Maison, that forever experiments parodies of various genre.
As per, the ensembles encompassed an ever so eccentric yet timeless sense of fine tailoring: from Roman tunics, togas to cartoon-like motifs conquering knits and more, the designer’s imagination reached a boundless level of creative burst. Pushing an aggressive and protective idea to more of a couture level, sharp, dagger-styled neon details flash menacingly on the apparel, bags and headpieces. Bold jewellery pieces in blade shapes together with earrings were worn together, forming a lethal “style weapon” finished off by a brave tonal palette. The tonal contrast was focally nailed within the softer silhouettes, which in some cases evolved into more casual attires, accentuating a ready-to-wear feel to the garments.
On a style note, the pieces were classic, innovative and dandy, empowered by stand-out logos and pops of beaming hues, completing a distinctive reformulation of Italian savoir-faire, in the way that only the Gucci Maison can. Moreover, the label, consistently working around dissection and intersection, construction and deconstruction, traditional and daring, highlighted a collection that looks at the spheres of culture, religion and society, gracing us with an eclectic, chic and utterly superb range of apparel to gratify our enduring style lust. On a final note, what’s also fundamental to acknowledge are the ruffles which were present in some of the gowns, beautifully blended with sparkles and shimmery details, decked by radiant stones as seen in belts and jewels. A profligate portrayal of stun crafted in a way which only Gucci is able to embody.
Click here to check out the full Gucci Resort 2020 collection.
