RECaLLING ROMAn ANCIeNT TIMEs GUCCI cRUISE 2020 LAUnCHED A MOdERN MEsSAGE OF FReEDOM
Text by: Annarosa Laureti
Born as collections intended to be worn on the occasion of exotic vacations in wintertime, Cruise and Resort collections became, during the last years, a very relevant fashion agenda’s event.
Gucci Cruise 2020 fashion show is no exception of course. Announced long time ago the super location of Roman Musei Capitolini – as well as maison’s contribution to the restauration of the Rupe Tarpea sited on the southern side of Campidoglio – the fashion event created around itself great hype and expectations, even before going on stage this May 28th.
Accomplices were, in primis, the launch of Men’s Tailoring 2019 Campaign by Harmony Korine – that sees the British singer Harry Styles in the role of an androgynous young poet wondering around abandoned gardens and sites among busts and ancient statues – as well as some Instagram posts published on the Gucci official account and that of the creative director Alessandro Michele, that provide us little puzzle’s pieces to solve.
Step by step, the several clues take us to image an inevitable Roman antiquity’s triumph, easly to presume also from the fashion show invitation’s choice, an ancient book to find in Cascianelli bookshop in Rome, bringing a quote by the historian and archaeologist Paul Veyne “Only Pagan Antiquity awakened my desire, because it was an advanced world, because it was an abolished world”. Less predictable, however, was a show able to promote also a strong feminist message.
Maybe the most alert ones had already well interpreted what the designer suggested this May 16th, when he shared on his IG feed a picture of a feminist manifestation with the caption reporting “FREEDOM”. Anyways, the final coup de theatre was perfect.
Engaged with the claim of gender equality’s rights for years – that dates back to 2013 when “Chime for Change” Campaign was first launched together with the actress Salma Hayek Pinault and the singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter – maison Gucci made the genderless factor a real own mantra and, next to the Pride month, it chose to praise, throughout the Cruise 2020, freedom in all its shapes.
Wisely combined with ‘70s references in perfect Gucci Camp’s style, the antiquity and pagan culture are dig up to poetically recover their characteristic freedom that never as today, among petty bourgeoisie fears and instilled hatred, seems to be lost. Ancient Roman togas mix up with caps enriched with jewellery pins, a feathered headdress inspired by a Bob Mackie design, Mickey Mouse printed and embroidered on sweaters, skirts and bags, a little homage to the just 90-years-old famous Disney character.
The accessories, indeed, include wide-brimmed hats, enormous gold dripping earrings, medallions, gold bay leafs crowns and vintage sunglasses of colored lenses.
Gucci “freak” army welcomes anyone who loves dare and distinguish himself: from rockers to prelates and nuns, from hippies to noble women. What matters is to express ourselves in complete freedom, as the strong and direct messages embroidered on blazers and sweaters, such as “My body my choice” and “22.05.1978” – respectively a 70s feminist slogan and the date when law 194 about the voluntary pregnancy interruption was promulgated in Italy – remember us.
Icing on the cake, that uterus sticking out on a pleated long sleeve gown: a picture, of course, more suited on an anatomy book but, not for this, not suitable to be fierily flaunted as a symbol, always and forever, of life.
Gucci Cruise 2020 Collection is an hymn of love to the Eternal City, to its history – that is pretty much our own history too – to its different people, but also a urge to rebirth through the looking of the glorious past. Without adopting the too easy nostalgic attitude of the “good old days”, with a rational and conscious mind it is possible to make a better future, free from prejudices and foolish homo, xeno, gino ect… phobias. To end, as Michele reminds us talking to WWD “Nothing is ancient and/or old, everything is contemporary, because everything is there”.
Cover: Gucci Cruise 2020 finale, Courtesy of Gucci shot by Dan Lecca
