It is hard to believe that fashion and film have been merged commercially for so long. Indeed, celebrities as magazine cover stars (instead of models), fresh-off-the-catwalk couture on the red carpet, and actresses with exclusive contracts with luxury houses has accelerated the intersection of both industries in the past decade. The cultural intersection of the two industries has never been more obvious or relevant than yesterday, when Lady Gaga, House of Gucci’s lead singer, was revealed as a Vogue Italia/British Vogue Cover Girl in the same time frame as A-listers descended upon Gucci’s extravagant Hollywood-inspired outing.
Gucci Love Parade was a highly anticipated event. Alessandro Michele remained true to his principles when it came to showing seasonless collections at his own pace. According to reports, the creative director was a whimsicalist and said that he had originally planned to become a costume designer. He also credited his love for cinema to his mother, who was his production assistant. His 115-look presentation reflected his deep understanding of Tinseltown’s past, present and future. You could walk off the set of silent-era silent-era film noir in sweeping sheer gowns with feather trims. There were elements such as cowboy hats or bolo neckties that reflected America’s love of Westerns, sci-fi styling and the kind of tailoring that made the 1970s style icons. In a mind-boggling test of your knowledge of pop culture references, you’d find many similarities between certain elements and the movie character they inspired. The glamorous side of Hollywood’s film industry is also worth mentioning. You won’t believe it, but Gucci’s sexy accessories, latex, nipple pasteies and hosiery, will bring it all back.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s enigmatic moment in Aria’s Tom Ford for Gucci red suit, which you can probably see 10 times on Instagram today, was a great example of the star-studded audience. However, the Hollywood hooley continued on runway. The casting was dominated by celebrities, including Macaulay Culkin and Jared Leto (soon also to appear in House of Gucci), Jeremy Pope and Steve Lacy, Grace Johnson, Jodie Turner Smith, St.Vincent, Miranda July, Phoebe Bridgers, Janaya Khan, Kodi Smith-McPhee and Hayden Pedigo.
Michele was quoted saying post-show that Hollywood is on the streets. Literally and metaphorically! It’s an opportunity for mere mortals with spending power and talent to participate in the parade, which combines all-out fantasy with more wearable pieces such as logo-heavy athleisure. Hollywood is not a place. It’s a way to live, according to the famous saying.
The complete collection is available on the Gucci website.
