There’s something about inadvertent twinning with somebody that can leave you feeling somewhat disheartened, but the Gucci SS/23 show put that negativity to bed, as Alessandro Michele delivered the brand’s Twinsburg show.
The Show
Inspired by his life growing up with two mothers, Michele used the dynamic of his home to explore the individuality of duality. The show opened with lyrics from Olsen’s Identical Twins, “We’re twins, we’re twins, yes sir. I am me; she is she, except when I pretend, I’m her. And when we switch, you can’t tell which is which.” With that, the show began with models walking down the runway alone, before each one was joined by their identical twin, creating a sense of two separate shows. At first, each look appeared in a general runway format, before the wall of photos lifted and revealed another set where models wore identical looks. In essence, Michele’s two shows were a twin of the other split by the screen of photos. At the finale, the twins came forth from opposite sides of the set and joined hands. It brought back memories of Michele and Jarred Leto twinning at events.
The collection
The collection is made up of 68 looks, made even more impactful by the by its double. Another first for men was twinning garter pants that revealed a bare upper thigh. The designer also went back into the archives to bring to life the equestrian bag inspired by the 80s. Its boxy shape features a curved saddle-like flap, worn over the shoulder via a long shoulder strap. The collection is made up of garments that are oversized and baggy, a trend we have seen a lot at Milan Fashion Week. Trench coats in ravishing colours blasted with vibrant lipstick and tool graphics featured reflective lapels. In accessories, beaded headgear flowed down to the waist, and further down to sandals.
Gucci under Michele has found ways to keep itself and it’s aesthetic fresh, continuously reinventing itself season after season. The Twinsburg show was an ode to Michele’s two mothers. “I am the son of two mothers,” he said. “Mum Eralda and mum Giuliana. Two extraordinary women who made their relationship the ultimate seal of their existence. They lived in the same body. They dressed and combed their hair in the same way. They were magically mirrored. One multiplied the other. That was my world, perfectly double and doubled.”
