Gucci spring/summer 2023

The Gucci brand

Today, Gucci is a major creative force in the fashion industry, with its every move closely watched not only by the entire industry but also by us, ordinary consumers. It is at this scale that fashion empires, when unveiling their latest collections, in a way dictate what we will be wearing each season. Setting trends is therefore a fundamental, though not the only, role of the brand. On one hand, Gucci boldly shapes the fashion world with ever more innovative and surprising designs; on the other, it consistently showcases its own unique aesthetic, adored by thousands.

This fashion approach is associated with the brand’s current creative director, Alessandro Michele, who has overseen Gucci’s global image since 2015. Michele began his professional career designing accessories for the renowned Italian fashion house Fendi., who gradually introduced the young designer to the world of Gucci’s London design studio. Over the following years, he held a variety of roles within the company, eventually becoming the leader of the product offering and being appointed creative director.

“Gucci Twinsburg”

The biannual is one of the most important fashion events and, as it turns out, a unique opportunity to showcase new ideas—not just in clothing. The world’s leading brands compete to create the most unconventional show concepts, and each season, every one of them delivers a true spectacle, blending fashion with set design, lighting, and music.

During this year’s Fashion Week in Milan, Gucci once again stunned the fashion world by presenting its new collection in a truly extraordinary way. The brand’s show featured as many as 68 pairs of identical twins. The designer initially created two identical shows, with models dressed in the same outfits walking on either side of a dividing wall. The audience was completely unaware that a similar spectacle was taking place next door, and the secret was only revealed when the wall was lifted and the identically dressed twins joined hands and walked the runway together.

Interestingly, out of 68 pairs of identical twins, three pairs come from Poland. On the runway, we saw the faces of Oskar and Kacper Grzelak, Oliwia and Natalia Dziadul, as well as Maria and Małgosia Dmitruk, who are not usually connected with the world of fashion and modeling.

Like two peas in a pod

The atmosphere surrounding the show was truly magical, and the visually stunning concept built around the ideas of otherness and identity captivated the audience and sparked a wave of positive emotions. What inspired to create such an extraordinary spectacle? As it turned out, this theme is very close to the designer’s heart, as his mother and aunt are also identical twins, and as he has often emphasized, as a child he used to call both of them “mom.”

It’s no wonder, then, that the designer dedicated his work to his mother Eralda and her sister Giuliana with these inspiring words: “All twins, from the moment they are born, are acutely aware that they are not the center of the universe. They learn to live with their other half, their mirror image. The boundaries of their physicality have nothing to do with the boundaries of their being. I dedicate this collection to my twin mothers—Eralda and Giuliana—who were only able to understand life thanks to the presence of the other.”

Alessandro Michele has been fascinated by twins for years Jared Leto,

Of course, the models in the show were not completely identical. The Gucci creative director was more interested in creating an illusion of perfect harmony and symmetry. And it certainly worked—the matching looks were refined down to the smallest detail, and the models were made to resemble each other as much as possible.

Ready-to-wear clothing

Moving away from the twin motif itself, it’s worth highlighting that the spring/summer 2023 collection is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing. The runway was filled with inspiration and references, which we’ll discuss in a moment. The clothes were presented in a “Ready to wear” convention, meaning they’re designed for everyday use by the brand’s consumers. And while some looks were clearly created for the runway, others could easily become part of the brand’s permanent collection.

What motifs stood out the most? Did Gucci opt for minimalism this time, or rather for extravagant eccentricity?

As every season, there was no shortage of raw tailoring,, reminding us all why Gucci became famous. Eclectic suits served as a symbol of the brand’s aesthetic. An interesting twist, however, was pairing the suit with underwear emblazoned with the timeless logo. This time, unconventional elements like sock garters worn over the suit trousers subtly distorted their simple silhouette.

In contrast, there was also sportswear from the 1980s featuring distinctive square shoulders made of metallic leather, embroidered skirts, mini dresses, and stunning capes in shades of pink and powder blue. The audience also noticed the abundance of motifs inspired by Asian countries. The models were dressed in outfits reminiscent of traditional Japanese kimonos. Symmetrically crafted accessories, such as long earrings and headpieces, also seemed to many to reference ancient civilizations.

There was a huge variety of accessories on display. In addition to the aforementioned oversized necklaces and earrings, the show featured handbags reminiscent of, and most of the models wore glasses adorned with chains that dangled almost to their shoulders.

As we can see in this show, the focus was primarily on design—diverse motifs inspired by both nature and Eastern cultures were vividly interwoven with a spectrum of colors and lush flowers adorning chiffon dresses. Gucci embraced contrasts, with classically elegant creations in the haute couture convention appearing right alongside much more extravagant and avant-garde pieces. An explosion of color, creativity, and energy—that’s the new collection from the fashion empire.

“Fuori”

That’s not the end of the references. In one of the looks, the main focus was on men’s denim overalls embroidered with the Italian word “Fuori,” a nod to the magazine published in the 1970s,. This magazine, in turn, was edited by the country’s first homosexual organization, which fought against the most right-wing government elected in Italy after World War II. It thus became a symbol of resistance against government efforts to threaten the LGBTQIA+ community. Alessandro, who felt a deep connection to those events, comments: “Elections show that freedom is being eroded. There was a time when we achieved a lot, but now it’s very complicated. We shouldn’t take anything for granted.” It’s an exceptionally clever way of weaving political context into fashion—something designers often reach for.

The new Gucci collection is likely appreciated not only for its incredible innovation and expert tailoring, but also for the deeply personal references made by the designer, which have particularly captured the audience’s attention. Looking back at the brand’s previous collections, it’s clear that Michele’s work for Gucci has always reflected his own life, but this year’s collection has been his most personal to date. He spoke not only about his twin mothers, but also about the long process he underwent in therapy, trying to understand his own duality.

All of this demonstrates the profound message hidden which were essential to Michell during the design of the collection. At the same time, this entire show at Milan Fashion Week proves to both the brand’s consumers and the entire industry that Gucci, despite being a massive fashion conglomerate, has not lost the spirit of fashion it has conveyed for years.