Alessandro Michele brought colour, vibrancy and a bit of controversy to the 13th century cloisters of the Westminster Abbey. It’s the first time that the cold stone walls of the Gothic church has ever invited the bright lights of a fashion show, so it was met with a bit of opposition from folks like Reverend Owen-Jones who said the event was like, ‘selling our souls for a pair of trousers.’ The trousers, however, were glorious and Michele definitely gave us life, made us live and took us to church in the best way possible – hallelujah! It’s safe to say that after the show concerns brought by the likes of the good reverend became an afterthought.
Michele’s stunning pre-spring/summer 2017 collection for Gucci managed to incorporate even more design elements to his already maximalist aesthetic. There was pimped out street wear of the flea market variety with shirts displaying large 90s inspired Gucci typography. Then there was a bit of classic English punk vibe mixed with preppy Catholic schoolgirl on her way to vacation by the Sicilian seaside. Juxtaposition and contrast were in full force. Gorgeous Victorian gowns went down the catwalk alongside embroidered silk bombers, bleach splattered turn up jeans, magenta fur coats and 60s inspired uniforms. Michele effortlessly offered up a smorgasbord of outfits equally appealing for customers at the Portobello Market or at Harrods, while remaining true to his design philosophy – simply magnificent.
