STYLE Edit: Jared Leto and Ni Ni check out Gucci's gender-fluid and fetish-happy collection
Artistic director Alessandro Michele adds vivacity by covering models with a fetish-like face masks that ‘represent protection for the kindness and beauty inside’
Gender-fluid Gucci was in top form for its autumn/winter 2019 collection, with ready-to-wear prints and lace thoroughly layered with embellishments that proudly screamed of deliverance.
The show was inspired by American philosopher Hanna Arendt’s exploration of the “mask”; that we “choose the mask through which we appear on the world’s stage”. Artistic director Alessandro Michele added vivacity to this concept, covering models with fetish-like face masks that “represent protection for the kindness and beauty inside”.
Models’ faces were embellished with transparent silicone tears, when they were not completely covered by the fetishised masks, in further exploration of our wonderfully-complicated identities.
Personality and unconventionality were part and parcel of the show, with an eccentric cast of individuals walking the runway. Artist and musician Jeffertitti Moon wore a tailored suit with a studded neck-brace and the decorated ear coverings inspired by the 24ct gold work of artist Eduardo Costa.
The small details were everywhere to finish the look, in signature Alessandro Michele style. Faux fur stoles and costume jewellery were almost naturally sprawled on tone-on-tone layering, as well as contrasting-colour pieces. Oversized decorated cross pendant necklaces, 60s-inspired gold metal ear coverings and strangely-alluring ear-shaped brooches on lapels added whimsy on the runway.