A magnificent medieval construction with a lean structure on a hexagonal base from which the towers stand out. The image is that of a stone crown resting on a hill 540 meters from the sea which sternly dominates the Murge plateau. We are in Puglia and Alessandro Michele has invited around 300 guests to Castel del Monte (a fortress commissioned by Federico II) to attend the Gucci Resort 2023 fashion show.
Here different elements create a particular harmony and suggestion: the Romanesque style, the Gothic frame of the towers and the lightness of the Islamic details find a safe place to manifest themselves with majesty. Thus, under the full red moon , with a play of lights that tells of the charm and mystery of the celestial vault, the collection is staged. There are all the symbolic elements of Alessandro Michele 's creativity, taken up and mixed up as only a divinity can do, while bringing among us mortals the eternal breath of becoming: at the center of the collection are the stars and their constellations. It's Gucci Cosmogonie . The reference is direct, because it is the plural noun of "cosmogony", the mythological-religious doctrine that investigates the origin of the Universe, and refers to the "narration of creation".
Each guest received a celestial body as a gift, baptized with their name, while exquisitely crafted creations paraded on the stone catwalk, showcasing the charm of the unknown, the mystical and eternity. There is the meeting between the earthly and the divine, the past and the future as well as between classical and Islamic culture. Alessandro Michele creates a powerful mixture and where a Hellenic sandal, an austere tunic or a medieval gorget appears, he contrasts it with a piercing jewel or a band of woven fabric that recalls the turbans worn in the desert. There are many cultural references and citations and here they are interconnected with the creations seen in the fashion show.
Stars, galaxies and constellations illuminate the creations of Gucci Cosmogonie : if the sequined dress is its most explicit form, with very long fringes that recall the galactic trail, there is no shortage of scenic displays created with crystals applied to very light fabrics or denim canvas which here takes on the value of a celestial vault. Formulas stolen from couture to embellish the textures.
The acme of the collection is reached with the final runway look worn by Lily McMenamy : an infinite blue heavy velvet dress with precious embroidery recreating the constellations, adorned with a wide white collar closed by a multi-strand pearl choker . In our eyes she appears as the mother goddess of Alessandro Michele, personification of connections - of stars, of cultures, of thoughts, of words - who has the power to make fashion as well as intellect eternal and infinite.
Credits by : Vogue
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