Gucci .. Resort 2016

Just when you think you have seen it all, something like this comes along and reminds you that it aint over til it’s over and honey this is a lulu and the fat lady aint done singing just yet! What immediately came to mind is that Alessandro Michele has definitely torn a few pages from the Hedi Slimane book of fashion as well as his look books and probably from that of Ricardo Tisci as well. Apparently this chinoiserie influence continues albeit the word chinoiserie makes it sound as if it might be rather tasteful and sophisticated. What it does remind me of are those cheap satin baseball jackets, kimonos and cheongsams that I recall seeing when I was a kid; they were souvenirs from Japan and China. Tasteful and sophisticated are not in this equation!

In Michele’s defense, at least this collection looks to be more polished and possibly a few pieces even seem wearable but jeez Louise WTF is on this young man’s mind?  I mean there are school girl looks which are reminiscent of bad Chanel or maybe it is Adolfo, house coats masquerading as coats, ghastly furs and marigold has never been high on any woman’s list as a flattering colors and someone please explain to me placing a tiger head smack in the pubic zone ... you know X marks the spot! Someone how I don’t think it’s supposed to funny but in a way it’s comical. Some of the kitschy stuff might be of Moschino spirit but certainly not in a very sophisticated way. Then of course apparently, Signor Michele never met a fabric he didn’t want to use and by the way surely sticks to his affinity for pleats.

There is so much not good about but most of all what is most bothersome is who wants to look this cheap and costumey at these prices? The kiltie pumps are so 70s as to look like thrift shop finds as do so many pieces which appear to be quite literally copied rather than massaged or referenced and paired with either  50s cats eye opticals or nerdy horn rims. If this is the new Gucci customer, then there must be an entire generation of trust fund kids and young women who have certainly never seen or heard of good taste but have bottomless allowances!

One has to wonder how patient the powers that be of Kering will be willing to wait for this young man to find his footing and to survive and sustain during what will probably be a few very tenuous sales periods while spending boatloads of euros on advertising.

PS …  I thought Frida got canned for being too retro.. well … what exactly did you trade off here ??? “Giannini was criticized for relying too heavily on retro designs from the archives rather than fashion-forward trends” ….  oh and don’t overlook the Groucho eyebrows ... a “forward” trend no doubt !