I haven’t eagerly torn through a collection as ravenously as I devoured the newest Gucci offerings in a very long time. And it’s not because it’s anything new or revolutionary, no- Alessandro Michele has an established style that he masterfully weaves into all of his collections, so you know there are a few things you are always going to get: boisterous prints, loud colors, interesting embellishments (this installment gave us cherries and cats) and an insane amount of layering. All of this to say- I don’t mind it. In fact, I can’t get enough of it. IN FACT, I would go as far as to say Michele’s ~aesthetic~ speaks to the very heart of this operation- eclecticism. The bringing together of many, seemingly-unrelated parts into one glorious, sensational whole.
Each outfit in this collection seemed more bombastic than the last, each image beckoning me onward through the massive 86-look lookbook. While collections this large usually bore me somewhere along the way, scrolling through these looks didn’t feel like a chore. I’ve been quite taken by the concept of innovative layering in fashion, and I’m always trying to think of new ways to wear my old clothes, so it was stimulating, to say the least, to see so many interesting clothing combinations in this collection. Blazers were layered over dresses were layered over pants, which were layered over tall, slouchy, tiger-striped or gingham boots. Even disparate prints were mindfully married within looks, inviting the eye to linger lovingly over every detail, including the crisp, ’80s-inspired tailoring (hello oversized blazers and broad shoulders).
And what can be said of the styling? Magnificent, of course. Enough giant sunglasses, brightly-colored socks and jaunty berets to leave you wondering if you can pull such silly, yet altogether pleasing things off (pro tip: you can.)
In the New Year, I vowed to myself that I would wear what I wanted, no matter how stupid the world might think I look, because I like it, because I dress for me and not to impress the ruthlessly-judgmental entity of humanity. And if this collection has given me anything, it’s more inspiration to continue on my path of sartorial bliss and eclectic dressing. And also an intense need for gingham.
Check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below:
All photos found on Vogue.com