Gucci's new attitude on show with creative director Alessandro Michele

New creative director Alessandro Michele unveiled his new vision for Gucci at an intimate cruise 2016 show in an industrial space on New York's West Side. Did he want to borrow from the American city's urbane cool to help shake off Gucci's slightly stuffy, traditionalist reputation? If so, it worked - with Gucci revealing a more playful and desirable tone. It was all much needed after the huge shake-up at the brand with both the CEO and creative director leaving within months of each other.

This was the brand's first-ever overseas cruise show and Michele's first "official" full collection. It follows in the footsteps of French fashion giants Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, which have all seized the mid-season show as a golden opportunity to parade their vision uninterrupted by a hectic fashion week schedule. It also heralds a new, modern attitude at Gucci: the audience was invited to the "backstage" dressing rooms for breakfast and coffee where the smiling, long-haired designer chatted with guests.

Michele charmed the crowd - only about 200 sat in the audience, on zig-zagging rows of chairs, the bare floors of the open industrial space covered in layers of vintage carpets as models walked in from the other side of the street. Reality TV stars that have become a staple of Paris or Milan fashion weeks were notably absent; instead it was the likes of Karen Elson, Dakota Johnson and Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam Taylor-Johnson leading the front-row pack.

But back to the collection: colours were vivid, from sparkling lurex to bright, funky '70s shades. If Gucci is back with a bang - this points to Michele's refreshing interpretation of the brand heightened with evocative and directed styling. There was a tension between more masculine suiting and those girlish looks, something we've not seen at Gucci for some time. Prim buttoned-up collars and coats were a little goody-two-shoes, and at times even boyish. But it was the long floral print, chiffon evening gowns that came as the biggest surprise; those colourful ethereal, sheer ruffles couldn't help but steal the spotlight.

The show was full of references, from '50s touches such as cat-eye glasses and prim coats and shirts to wild '70s glamour, the odd nerdy piece and Victorian wallpaper prints. Michele seemed to be pushing the boat out with this collection.