This Saturday, New York City’s Times Square Centre and its billboards were taken over and Guccified. A hard feat to imagine considering the crowds, the tourists, and the no-nonsense attitude of the average New Yorker. But, replacing them for the moment were the likes of Kim Kardashian, Lindsey Lohan, Mariah Carey, Shawn Mendes, Steve Lacy, Stormzy, Iman, and more, sitting in the front row waiting for Demna’s first Gucci Cruise collection.
This year, designers have skipped the usual addresses to present their cruise collections, and Demna is one of them. Unlike Jonathan Anderson, who favoured the American West Coast, Demna went to the East, to a city so rich to the Gucci brand that Demna mentioned it as a “homecoming to the brand” in his show notes. The collection as such was also a homage to the city, taking “a plurality of styles that intersect like the streets of the city”. With pre-show campaigns taking inspiration from Robert Longo’s “Men in the Cities”, a photo series of people in corporate wear posing in balletic moves, we get an understanding that this is yet another Gucci character study as seen from Demna’s debut and sophomore shows.
Centring on New York’s nature and style, the show begins with a montage of nature intercut with fake Gucci ads, satirising the new normal while also spotlighting Gucci’s ethos and aesthetic universe. From there, ‘GucciCore’ begins with a series of suits, a nod to the Wall Street worker. Pinstripes and magenta pieces are styled with Gucci totes holding laptops that are peeking out, while menswear comes carrying backpacks. The collection then delves into Uptown glam with furs, silk shirts, and modest silhouettes. Some dresses are cropped, but ultimately, the current Gucci woman is a midi lover, with a hemline that can flap appropriately as she navigates the streets. Whereas the hair goes from messy waves to poised bobs, showcasing the multi-faceted city woman at play.
And of course, it cannot be a Demna show without a star-studded cast attracting intrigue towards the runway. Here among the notable names, we had Tom Brady in a lacquered leather ensemble, Alex Consani in a sheer kaftan styled with an overdose of necklaces, Gabbriette in a caban jacket and boots, a brunette Paris Hilton in a yellow print dress, and Cindy Crawfron closing the show in a black feathered gown.
Despite it being a cruise collection, there was a heavy focus on outerwear. Pea coats, leather jackets, wool blazers, trenches, and already noted furs took over the collection. Amongst them, our favourites came in florals—one as a detailed knee-length coat and another, subtle piece with a floral lining and fur exterior. From there, the collection dived into its edgier pieces surrounded by lace and leather. Gucci coloured bandeau tops, python pants, cropped jackets, and low-rise hemlines set the scene now. Menswear got similar quirky-ness with duvet-like stoles that fluffed the torso and created a boxy silhouette.
Together, it was a play on Gucci’s duality—the Italian glamour contrasted with the streetwear culture it found itself in. What Demna’s Gucci character study is trying to say is that Gucci, like New York, comes with a juxtaposition at play. The city holds grit and glamour, while the maison operates with opulence and eccentricity. The hands explained this dichotomy the best. While some held top-handle purses and clutches, others slung their totes aside to hold their phone, keys, yoga mats, books, and flower bouquets. With an almost “seasonless” wardrobe, Demna highlights a new form of resort wear that’s cohesive, goes beyond the season, and flies by with a Gucci state of mind.
