Before guests even got to the venue for the fall 2019 Gucci show, creative director Alessandro Michele had sent them a sneak peek of the collection theme. The invite, sent in a big box, was a white mask. The collection show notes were aptly titled "The mask as a cut between visible and invisible," and the set — comprised of 120,000 flashing LED bulbs — served as a sort of self-reflection of Michele's inner aesthetics and feelings. Simply put, it seemed to be a transformational moment for Gucci. This may not have been Michele's strongest Gucci collection to date, but it was interesting to see how Michele approached a more toned down sensibility. Here's everything you need to know about the fall 2019 show.
Masked Creatures
Following the theme of masks, Michele put actual masks on the models. Many of them recalled Venetian masks — some were black leather and covered in dangerous studs. Others were rendered in bizarrely flat shades of blue and green and styled with spiky dog collars. "If appearance represents the physiological conditions of our thinking of ourselves as persons in relation, masks can offer themselves as the means through which we can give citizenship rights to our manifold becoming," read the show notes.
Toned Down Palettes
This season was less about excess and more about a toned down sensibility. The majority of the collection was brown, blue, khaki, green and gray — everyday colors that one would see walking down the street or at an office, for example.
Awkward Suiting
Where the collection was most successful was in the awkward, oversized suiting for men. Pants were billowy and khaki pants were massive. Shoulders were puffed up and most of the male models wore dad sneakers with their workwear gone askew.
Spiked Studs
The accessories were varied throughout the collection — oversized, sculptural earrings, masks, knee-pads and models carrying sneakers included. But one motif that was repeated were gothic studs. They were on collars, hats, bags and more.
Red Means Go
Aside from the toned down color palette, a slew of red looks took over midway through the collection. Some of them were even head-to-toe monochromatic, with matching masks. They were the most maximalist, magpie-centric thing about the collection.
Photos via Imaxtree