Kalifa Okezie Fashion in Context DESN1375 201017716
Analysis of Gucci’s A/W 2016 and S/S 2017 collections
Kalifa Okezie DESN 1658 Fashion Marketing 201017716
CONTENTS
Page 1: Introduction Pages 2-7: Gucci Autumn/Winter 2016 Pages 8-14: Gucci Spring/Summer 2017 Page 15: Conclusion Page 16: Bibliography Page 17: Image references
PRÊT À PORTER
Fig 1:
Alessandro Michele the current creative director of Gucci, provided the Fashion industry with a fusion of ancient Italian renaissance and elements from various fashion trends within the 1980s era from both the Fall 2016 and the Spring/Summer 2017 collections. The reasoning behind this is ambiguous, although critics have argued that Michele displayed a phantasmagorical event through the translation of Hollywood onto Gucci’s catwalk. Michele conveys wacky eyewear to the unexpected injection of fairy tales into the everyday. (Blanks, T. Sept 2016) Since becoming the creative director in 2015, Alessandro Michele’s vintage inspired designs have become red carpet and editorial dominators from the intricate prints and detailing and unconventional colour combinations. (Style Guide, February 24, 2016)
Fig 2:
INTRODUCTION
GUCCI AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 Fig 3:
Fig 4:
This piece from Michele’s Fall 2016 collection provides notions of an 80s biker chic, infused with elements of 17th century Italy. The exaggerated shoulder padded detailing formerly known as the leg of mutton sleeve or gigot sleeve, unveiled the popular renaissance influence that Michele has heavily placed on the chevron quilted leather jacket. The trend dates back to the 1500s and acquired its name due to the unusual shape, formed from a voluminous gathering of fabric at the shoulder that tapers to fit tightly around the lower arm, elbow and wrist area. Popularity for the style rose during this era, due to the introduction of new standards of beauty, which deemed exposed shoulders as beautiful. However, when Queen Victoria assumed the throne in 1837, this trend was neglected. On the contrary, during the 1980s the gigot sleeve made a reappearance and assumed popularity once again. (Marshall, S. Feb, 2016)
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Michele attempts to engage the audience with this historic style, outlining the original influence and historic nature of the popular 80s trend. From this the audience is able to gage an understanding of how trends which have been popular in recent years, initially developed from. This paired with a matching quilted leather skirt, leather jacket trend during this time period creating a more relaxed look. (Mower, S. Feb 2016.) Michele has adapted the traditional 80s biker jacket through the golden embellishment which is presented in a formation surrounding the jacket. During the 1980’s the leather motorcycle jacket, was strongly associated to activities involving rebellion, subcultures and breaking away from social conventions, this concept has been adapted by Michele from the combination of vintage styles from two distinctive and contrasting time periods, the 80s and the renaissance. The jacket originating from 1918, when the jacket was utilised as protective outerwear for German Pilots during World War I and not deemed as a fundamental wardrobe essential for both men and women. (Stephan, Taylor. Sept. 2015.)
Fig 9:
The pairing of the jacket with a net veiled pillbox hat, acting as a staple of the entire collection, combines the two eras of history together and adds a feminine element to the garment, juxtaposing to the masculine connotations provided by the dominating emphasis Michele places on leather (Lawson-Livingstone, C. Apr. 2017.) The 70s trend of lamé disco sandals also feature in this garment in green, depicted on the runway with the profound 80’s staple look of electric brightly coloured tights. These additions act as a contrast to the heavy use of black displayed elsewhere in the outfit. These styles have been adapted by the creative director by the inclusion of ankle-length athletic socks featuring the notorious graphic Gucci luggage-stripe on the top. Breaking away from societal conventions of the ‘untrendy’ socks and sandals phenomenon; cross referencing the fusion of Italian renaissance and 1970s/80s influences into the modern day, adding a street style essence to the garment. (Mower, S. Feb 2016.) Michele described his amalgamation as “Talking in more than one language- there are a lot of sounds.” (Harris, S. Feb 2016.) Other descriptions from the creative director apropos to the collection have been: “Rock ’n’ Roll Renaissance, 1980s Renaissance, street-style Renaissance, bourgeois Renaissance, chinoiserie Renaissance and Renaissance brought to studio 54.” (Friedman, V. Feb. 2016) providing insight into the heavy influence the renaissance period which the Alessandro Michele has placed on each garment within the collection, Critics have speculated that this will become the future direction for the Gucci brand. The show was introduced with a series of flashing graphics and floral projections on a wall and a see-through screen between which the models walked. Inspiration for the collection rooted from French philosophers Gilles Delezue and Félix Guattari and their ‘rhizomatic’ thinking, catalysing Michele’s vision for the merging of bold colours, opulent textures and sublime details. (Derosa, A. Soo Hoo. F, Feb 2016)
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Fig 12:
GUCCI SPRING/SUMMER 2017
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Michele’s Spring/Summer collection delves into 1970’s fashion staples, which critics have described as manifestations of rich imagination and craft, (Foley, B. Sept 2016) Michele’s fascination with elements of the Renaissance and the Baroque era has resulted in an aesthetic that fuses prints, patterns and opulent details with the Italian fashion house’s hallmarks. The designer confirmed that for his spring collection, he wanted to “talk the same language” as he had illustrated in previous seasons, while writing “another chapter of my story.” (Foley, B. Sept 2016)
Some of the catalysts behind Michele’s vibrant creations, for the collection consist of Gregorian Chants and compositions by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi from the 18th century allowing Michele to become immersed in his creativity and self-expression. (Billboard, Sept 2016) Outfit 51 of the collection, features the staple 70’s faded double denim, consisting high-waisted flared tailored trousers and a matching embellished denim double-breasted jacket with emphasis on shoulder padding, providing a retro aesthetic to the garment. Double denim rose to popularity in the 1980s with celebrities such as Madonna, a style icon of the decade, being a firm advocator of the trend. In recent years, the retro style has featured amongst our catwalks in various Spring/Summer collections, as depicted by Gucci reviving the controversial pairing. Michele pairs the trousers with a distinct Gucci belt, with the renowned GG logo, creating a modernised, rework of the traditional 70s look. The use of 70s inspired needle-point bird embroidery is reminiscent of an era that once was, this concept is intensified by the outlining of both the jacket and trousers with metallic studs. (Gucci.com.)
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The outfit is accessorised with a satin pink turban and 80s style diamante framed sunglasses, focusing the outfit not just on the 70s era, however a frenzy of different iconic fashion epochs. This concept is intensified by the designer’s choice of a crimped hairstyle for the model, being a popular fad of the 80s and the accompaniment of an abstract, retro inspired shirt; celebrating flamboyant patterns and designs (Steer, Deirdre C, 1996.) 80s fashion was a period of experimental styles, used to make statements, Alessandro Michele draws upon these ideologies throughout both the outfit and the entire collection. The notorious silk turban features several times in Michele’s collection recycling another popular 80s fashion staple. The knotted pastel coloured headpiece provides a unique contrast to the remainder of the outfit, adding a sense of 1920s glamour and femininity, where the add-on first made an appearance. (Turbans Archives.Vintage Fashion Clothing Blog.Beyond Retro. Jan 2012)
Fig 18:
Grace Lam, fashion editor from Vogue China described Alessandro Michele’s collection as “The dressing up box gone wild and breaking off into a new world...Alessandro is a master of transforming that retro touch into modern vibes. He is making Gucci younger and more diverse.” (Bumpus, J. Sept 2016)
Fig 19:
C O N C L U S I O N
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Moreover, in both of Gucci’s eclectic prêt-à-porter collections, Alessandro Michele depicts different chapters of a story, which are presented through his garments. Michele is providing a new direction, since his appointment in 2015, the fashion house has been adapting vintage styles making them relevant and current for modern audiences. The fusion of renaissance, 70’s and 80s styles in both collections previously mentioned highlights the importance and significance of vintage and historical styles in today’s society. The creative director describes the new direction of the brand as: “A little revolution inside the company—to push another language, a different way to talk about beauty and sexiness.”(Bowles, H. 2015) Michele enables consumers to retrace the time periods of many popular trends which feature on the shelves today, creating a sense of reminiscence and appreciation for the heritage of the garments.
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1376 WORDS Bibliography: • Blanks, Tim. "Following The Gucci-Striped Road To Fashion Oz". The Business of Fashion. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Bowles, Hamish. “Inside The House Of Gucci: Meet The New Creative Director”. Vogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 May 2017. • Bumpus, Jessica. "Are You A Gucci Groupie?". NOWFASHION. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Clancy Steer, Deirdre. Costume Since 1945 From Couture To Street Style. 1st ed. London: Herbert Press, 1996. Print. • Foley, Bridget. "Gucci RTW Spring 2017". WWD. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • "Gucci's Alessandro Michele On How The Cure & Gregorian Chants Influence His Work". Billboard. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Guide, Style. "Gucci 2016 Fall / Winter". Fashion Gone Rogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Harris, Sarah. "Gucci Autumn/Winter 2016 Ready-To-Wear Show Report". British Vogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • "Jeans For Women | Shop Gucci.Com". Gucci.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Lawson-Livingstone, Camielle. "Clarins Sunkissed Hale D'ete Summer 2017 Makeup Collection | Fashionisers". Fashionisers.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Marshall, Shonagh. "A Brief History Of The Leg Of Mutton Sleeve". AnOther. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Mower, Sarah. "Gucci Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear Fashion Show". Vogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. • "See Glorious Detail Shots Of Gucci’S Drool-Worthy Fall 2016 Accessories". InStyle.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • Stephan, Taylor. "A Brief History Of How The Leather Jacket Went From Military Uniform To Iconic Fashion Staple". E! News. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. • "Turbans Archives | Vintage Fashion Clothing Blog | Beyond Retro". Beyondretro.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Image references: Title page image 1: “Gucci Fall 2016”. Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017 Title page image 2: “Gucci Fall 2016”. Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017 Figure 1: “Gucci Fall 2016”. Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 2: “Gucci Fall 2016”. Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 3: "Gucci Fall 2016". Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 4: Guide, Style. "Gucci 2016 Fall / Winter Ad Campaign". Fashion Gone Rogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 5: "Renaissance Fashion: The Birth of Power Dressing | History Today". Historytoday. com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 6: Sooney, Pia. "Top 10 80S Fashion Trends: The Good, Bad, and The Ugly". Like Totally 80s. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 7: "History of The Biker Jacket | The Idle Man". The Idle Man. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 8: Guide, Style. "Gucci 2016 Fall / Winter Ad Campaign". Fashion Gone Rogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 9: Guide, Style. "Gucci 2016 Fall / Winter Ad Campaign". Fashion Gone Rogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 10: "See Glorious Detail Shots of Gucci’S Drool-Worthy Fall 2016 Accessories". InStyle. com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 11: "Gucci Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show." Vogue. Vogue, 24 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2017.
Figure 12: "Gucci Fall 2016". Honestly WTF. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 13: "Gucci (@Gucci) • Instagram Photos and Videos". Instagram.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 14: "Gucci (@Gucci) • Instagram Photos and Videos". Instagram.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017 Figure 15: "Gucci Spring 2017 Ready-To-Wear Fashion Show". Vogue. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 16: "Gucci Leather Belt with Double G Buckle". Gucci.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 17: "See Glorious Detail Shots of Gucci’S Drool-Worthy Fall 2016 Accessories". InStyle.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 18: "Gucci - Knotted Silk And Wool-Blend Turban". NET-A-PORTER. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 19: Vintage, Dalena. "How to Tie A 1920S Turban". Vintage Clothing Store Online | Austin Texas | Dalena Vintage. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017. Figure 20: "Gucci Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show." Vogue. Vogue, 24 Feb. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2017 Figure 21: "Gucci (@Gucci) • Instagram Photos and Videos". Instagram.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017 Figure 22: "Gucci (@Gucci) • Instagram Photos and Videos". Instagram.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 25 Apr. 2017