Eccentrics Can Still Count On Gucci For Wardrobe Staples

Despite the departure of Alessandro Michele, it seems Gucci is still holding on to his maximalist ideals to some degree. The former creative director’s seven-year reign of over-the-top glamour — which ended with the iconic Twinsburg showcase — was a mighty one and left an impact on both the house and deluge of followers. While Michele’s penchant for theatrical production wasn’t present in Gucci’s Fall/Winter 2023 show, some key design codes of his were very much alive and well — created by the in-house team for this interim season before newly appointed creative director Sabato De Sarno’s debut collection in September.

“The Gucci Fall Winter 2023 Women’s Collection connects the creative cultures that cross-pollinate the history of the House in an evocative but contemporary proposal,” read the official show notes. “A free expression founded in collective memories that blur the lines of time, it is an illustration of the beating heart of Gucci: the ecosystem of designers and artisans whose shared understanding of the House has passed down and evolved from creative to creative for over a century.”

Outerwear and accessories were prioritized and were the key areas in which Michele’s maximalist influence lingered. Statement jackets provided color and texture, with floor-length cerulean wool styles and crimson faux fur lapels atop wool peacoats. A bright fuchsia faux teddy bear midi dress even made its way down the runway, styled with a red leather handbag, a new version of a vintage Horsebit 1955 style. Speaking of furry and fuzzy details, wooly mammoth-inspired boots were sprinkled in, paired with streamlined leather pencil and mini skirts, as were elaborate apres-ski-like hats (reminiscent of those donned by Lady Gaga in her role as Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci).

The show’s location at the brand’s headquarters could’ve well been a strategic move in setting the office atmosphere for Gucci’s workwear offering. Oversized, boxy suits and trenches in taupe, black, and steely gray were prominent, paired with kitten heels, loafers, sneakers, and cool wrap-around sunnies. Fitted skirt sets and roomy denim paired with crisp button-downs and statement Gucci belts also elevated the 9-to-5 wardrobe for fall. “Suits in wool or leather cut an oversized frame with voluminous shoulders, dropped necklines and low-riding trousers,” explain the show notes. “Skirts appear in longline or knee-length expressions in sheer fabrics and embellished lace suggestive of lingerie.”

Although formal wear was slightly toned down in comparison to the glitzy, feathery creations of seasons past, eye-catching details like belly-high dress slits, exaggerated crinoline waist shapes, and barely there ethereal mesh added that signature Gucci edge that makes the brand a red carpet and street-style staple year after year. “Created according to the principles of savoir-faire, eveningwear conjures the shapes of hearts — a symbol of the House’s core — in the drop-waist skirt of a double-duchesse bustier dress, in the effervescence of a dress fully embroidered in contrast plume, and in the bust line of an Empire gown,” explain the show notes.

Although a quieter approach than Michele’s trumpet-blowing theatrical showcases, Gucci’s latest stays true to the essential codes that made it great in the first place: masterful and thoughtful design, luxe materials and interesting use of color, and sultry silhouettes that embrace the human form.

See some of TZR’s favorite looks from the collection below.