“Florals? For spring? Ground-breaking.” These were the immortal words spoken by Meryl Streep’s Amanda Priestley in The Devil wears Prada. But Gucci’s new creative director Alessandro Michele, stuck two fingers up to the formidable (but fictional) editor’s advice, and presented an unforgettable Spring/Summer 2016 runway show.
Over the past few years, androgyny has been the mainstay for women’s fashion, as it borrowed heavily from some of men’s most cliché looks. However, Michele drew from the most feminine of womenswear with Gucci’s new collection, embracing ruffled shirts, floral embroidery and curvy silhouettes.
The masculine and the feminine collided together to create a collection that everyone—both men and women—will lust over. Knitted shorts paired with matching bobble hats and pearl lined pockets on flared trousers made the runway-styled ensembles demure and almost cute. Lacy Peter Pan collars paired together with a baby pink pinstriped trouser suit did the best at showcasing the merge by successfully combining a traditionally masculine silhouette with a feminine print.
Nothing was safe from the floral motif including trouser suits that were covered in floral embroidery and prints, or had a rose fastened onto the neck of the shirt. Butterflies, birds and plants were stitched and printed on ensembles, and spectators did their best to lean in to spot all these sumptuous details. Floral, sheer-lace shirts were paired with swinging flared jeans, all fastened together with a belt proudly displaying Gucci’s iconic logo.
Color exploded everywhere on the Gucci runway: canary yellow, turquoise, red—the whole show was a celebration of color and exhibited the sort of freedom and confidence that has to be carried with such brave and daring ensembles. It was an exciting show, paving the way for a whole new trend in menswear.
