manager_1 It was obvious that Gucci’s Spring 2022 collection would be a love letter for Hollywood when it was announced that L.A.’s Hollywood Boulevard would be closed down by the brand. The film industry, to say nothing of the numerous celebrities who have wore Gucci’s designs on the red-carpet over the years, has been a major influence in Gucci becoming as well-known as the names engraved on Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. Then too, Ridley Scott’s Lady Gaga-starring House of Gucci is the film that everyone’s already talking about, even though it isn’t coming out until later this month. It turns out that while “Gucci Love Parade” was indeed a cinematic tribute, Alessandro Michele, the creative director, had a more personal inspiration.
“Mum was an assistant in a film production company. Michele’s show notes explained that I still remember the stories and details she shared with me about the dream factory. Marilyn Monroe’s alabaster paleness and her diaphanous voice were just two of the many highlights. Rita Hayworth’s black satin gloves and Veronica Lake’s velvet hair were there, along with the captivating charm of Rock Hudson or Kim Novak.”
Gucci brought that magic to life by casting big names and frequent brand collaborators to model the looks. Macaulay Culkin wore a Hawaiian shirt that was part-White Lotus, Part-Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. Phoebe Bridgers wore a Jackie Kennedy-esque satin jacket and pillbox hat. Miranda July wore pin-up stockings with Gucci-emblazoned flowerers and a fur-trimmed strawberry-print cardigan.
It was like a retrospective on Hollywood’s fashion history over the past century. Faux furs, screen siren-like evening dresses, and opera-length gloves from the Golden Age were all present. The era’s bold colors and razor-sharp tailoring. The red carpet minimalism of ’90s. (The latter was confirmed by attendee Gwyneth Paltrow, who appeared in a reimagined version of the iconic Tom Ford-designed red Gucci suit she wore at the 1996 VMAs. ) .
Gucci is known for its exquisite red carpet dresses and occasion gowns. But where Michele shines as a designer, it’s in the quirky, irreverent details that have made the brand famous since Michele took over the role in 2015. You can think of the heart clutch that resembles the actual organ from spring’s Aria Show. Or the partnership with North Face that made the 2021 It Jacket of the unassuming puffer everybody had in the ’00s.
The styling of this season was a great example of Gucci genius. The sneakers were paired with three-piece suits and tuxedo shirts, while bike shorts were worn alongside cowboy hats and Latex gloves were seen peeking out of maribou dresses. These combinations might seem outlandish or unruly at first glance but they would look great on ordinary people like Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus.
“L.A. is not a fashion city, but it’s so fashionable,” Michele told Vogue backstage before the show. “They are sometimes inappropriate, but they are precise in that they aren’t appropriate at all times. It could be my personal way of seeing fashion.”
In an industry plagued by lightning-speed fashion calendars and the churning of trends, personal style may seem like a novel idea, but after the last 18 months – marked by athleisure, party dressing, and the obliteration of all dress codes – isn’t that how we should all think about style?
You can see the complete show at Gucci.com
