MILAN
Fashion houses trying to figure out how to reach new eyeballs after the long ordeal of the pandemic have centered around a singular idea: collaborations.
Many are doing it, in big ways and small. Gucci, which famously “hacked” Balenciaga last season, is now launching an e-commerce site showcasing refurbished vintage Gucci products and capsule collections by young designers. Hatmaker Borsalino is collaborating with the French brand Ami Paris and the equestrian-inspired brand Acheval.
If the fashion industry is going to change, now is the moment, say insiders — even if the temptation to go back to old habits is great. Highlights from the fourth day of Milan runway shows Saturday for next spring and summer:
GUCCI VAULT
Gucci on Saturday launched an e-commerce site featuring refurbished vintage Gucci pieces alongside capsule collections by young designers chosen by Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele.
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Michele said the project was born out of his life-long obsession with collecting fashion, including Gucci items before he ever joined the brand. “Yes, I do this work to tell stories. But I also do it because I truly love objects,” he told reporters in Milan.
The young designers featured included London-based Priya Ahluwalia. Of Nigerian and Indian descent, Ahluwalia’s upcycled collections have already found a broad audience ranging from sports figures like Lewis Hamilton to middle-aged hipsters.
“Completely out of the blue, I got a message from Gucci. I thought it was an advertisement or spam,” Ahluwalia said. “When I realized it was real, I was extremely happy.”
Michele said the brand has a vast network of sources for vintage Gucci, which it has been tapping to rebuild its archive. The launch includes a white Jackie bag meticulously cared for by its previous owner that he wanted to keep for himself.
Then, laughing, he said, “Who knows, maybe I will log on tonight and buy it myself!”
Gucci has stepped away from the Milan Fashion Week calendar, finding its own rhythms. Its next show is Nov. 3 in Los Angeles, coinciding with the 10th LACMA Art — Film Gala, which Gucci is sponsoring.
DOLCE&GABBANA LIGHTING UP FASHION WEEK
Dolce&Gabbana wanted to shine a light back on glamour with their latest collection — and they did. Their bedazzling looks shone a spotlight that could easily be visible from orbit.
The silhouette was unapologetically sexy, built around corsets, micro-mini dresses and skimpy lingerie, fundamental elements in the brand’s creative language.
This season, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana went all out with light-refracting embellishments, covering garments in rhinestones, adding beading and indulging in metallic accents and fringe. Models walked down a mirrored runway under roving spotlights.
Densely bejeweled jackets contrasted with narrow camouflage cargo pants or distressed jeans. A series jackets had sculptured sleeves straight off the couture runway. Trousers were low-waisted, leaving room for studded lingerie to peek through.
The designers said the collection was a “reinterpretation of the aesthetic of the 2000s.” They paid tribute to Jennifer Lopez with a pair of J-Lo T-shirts.
Quieter moments were reserved for statement little black dresses with lace accents and open fronts revealing nearly sheer corsets, and even littler black body suits.
Shoes were stiletto sandals with laces, knee-high boots and mid-calf booties, which contributed a bit of a backup on the fast-tempo finale as models slowed down to descend the stairs. The boots came in satin, denim, camouflage and crocodile.
Each Dolce box handbag had a unique design.
Though in Milan for the show, the designers appeared virtually on a screen for their traditional post-show bow.
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