THE GUCCI RESURGENCE

“The words we keep hearing about are joy and optimism. I really give a lot of credit to Alessandro Michele at Gucci for being so bold and brilliant with his reset at Gucci.” So says Anna Wintour in a YouTube video on the Fall/Winter 2016-17 Milan season for Vogue Runway. The powerful Vogue editor is only one of the voices in a choir of press, retailers and celebrities that have profusely praised the work of Alessandro Michele since his appointment as Gucci Creative Director early last year. Many claim that Michele is leading the Milan revival, spurring other designers to put looks on the runway that typically don’t belong to the city’s fashion week. Certainly, the most buzzed-about designer has rocked fashion, catapulting the brand back into the limelight and setting the stage for the genderless trend for which he and she blurred on many catwalks worldwide. The sultry Gucci goddesses, decked-out in high-glam attire from the Tom Ford and Frida Giannini era, have dissolved, replaced by eccentric and quirky chic nerds with a romantic-meets-dandy allure. Michele’s vision is without a doubt more tender yet his creatures are anything but soft. His clothes are beautiful, skillfully executed with bravado and mastery where references and periods – Renaissance-meets-streetwear, for example - are mixed-and-matched liberally to striking effect. Flowers, bees, snakes and butterflies are embroidered or appliqued on skirts, jackets and dresses. Fabrics are rich and textured, the color palette captivating. The accessories are strong and decorative. Yet, even with his 360-degree transformation, Michele always weaves in the Gucci heritage, interpreting the archival references with a new and fresh perspective. Keep it up, Alessandro.