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Gucci: Rock band redux

Posted by Felicia Prince @ 8:44 am June 24, 2008
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This entry is part 15 of 35 in the series Milano Moda Uomo Spring 2009

MILAN, Jun 24, 2008 / FW/ — Was it Hedi Slimane pulling the strings at Gucci? It is ONLY my imagination, but somehow, the rock band theme, pencil slim trousers and overall rock & roll atmosphere made one feel that it has been seen before, at the Dior Homme runway during the time of iconoclastic designer Hedi Slimane.

Okay, it was not a bad collection. Frida Giannini actually has a lot to offer from the studded white biker jacket to the black suits and jackets with subtle stripes suited more for a club than dining out. And as always, this is Gucci, hence the accessories – shoes and bags are just wonderful! I really mean it.

There are also a lot of clothes that young men would love to own and make it part of their wardrobe. Yet, what is missing is the innovative and groundbreaking bent that the fashion world expects from a house as prolific as Gucci.

Sending on the runway what the ‘market expects’ or ‘something so wearable’ that the look had been done over and over by other designers and fashion houses is a sad affair especially at Gucci.

Yet, somehow, there is a feeling that Frida Giannini is not the reason why there is such a ‘commercial aspect’ in the Gucci collections of late. There is someone much higher than Giannini in the corporate structure that is pulling the strings and in turn making the decision on which direction Gucci will take.

And, if the reason for Gucci’s being nowadays is profit, then, don’t expect any innovations or groundbreaking designs from Gucci until this decade is over.

News Briefs: Giles Deacon quits Daks, Buy Gucci via cell phones, Comme de Garcons for H&M

Posted by Mari Davis @ 8:39 am April 4, 2008
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DALLAS, Apr 4, 2008 / FW/ — The revolving doors for fashion designers continues with Giles Deacon resigning from Daks after only three seasons. According to the announcement, Daks is “refocusing its efforts on growing and developing the high quality RTW collections.”

That statement translates to Daks abandoning the luxury ready-to-wear that was developed by Deacon. But there are no hard feelings between the two parties. Both Deacon and Daks iterated in the official announcement of the split of “how much they enjoyed working with each other.”

Meanwhile, world’s most desirable luxury brand Gucci launched its first-ever mobile phone web site in Japan. On guccijoy.jp, users take a picture of the high-tech code, designed to look like a Gucci Joy handbag, which then links the user directly to the URL.

If you’re wondering why Gucci launched its m-commerce site exclusively in Japan, it’s because the country of the Rising Sun preferred mode on surfing the net is via mobile phones.
Speaking of Japan, famed Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo, the founder and head designer for Comme de Garcons, is collaborating with H&M to create a women’s and men’s collection for Fall 2008. Accessories and an exclusive unisex fragrance will also be included in the collection.

“I have always been interested in the balance between creation and business. It is a dilemma, although for me creation has always been the first priority. It is a fascinating challenge to work with H&M since it is a chance to take the dilemma to its extreme, and try to solve it”, commented Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons in a statement.

Milan Menswear Runway Report: Alexander McQueen’s Gravatar examines Prada’s Tortured Soul and gets lost in Gucci’s Gothic rock & roll

Posted by Sara Conde @ 2:10 am January 15, 2008
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MILAN, Jan 15, 2008 / FW/ — The GRAVATAR is short for global roaming avatar, globally recognized avatar, i.e., if you have not tried social networking yet and knows that an avatar is your online persona that can be your own photo, a drawing, an illustration or a logo.

Alexander McQueen, who took his audience poolside in a virtual world during his Spring 2008 show did an about turn this season and tackled the Far East in real life, sending ethnic-inspired clothing based on the Indian subcontinent and its neighboring countries.

Yet, as Alexander McQueen traveled from tribe to tribe, country-to-country, it is very easy to imagine the models as gravatars especially that each and everyone of the models were wearing identical curls.

So, they might be in a three-piece suit with low-crotch trousers, even sport wrinkled shirts topped by a cardigan wrap with shiny flat piping, even wear a coat with gold embroidery fit for a king and walk on shoes that are brown in two-tones, the singular look of the models looked like a live but graphic representation of one traveler.

Meanwhile, at Prada, there seem to be a duality that simmers underneath. Minimalist looks that are almost futuristic; a Roman Catholic priest’s collar as an extra add-on that actually made the shirt look like it has two necklines?

In the seeming simplicity of the silhouette that is generally slim but not snug fitting, the man seems to have a tortured soul. Should he go to priesthood or remain just an altar boy because the outside world is calling him?

With vests that look like bibs and neckties cut short right at the navel and double-breasted suits with hidden plackets and buttons, what is he hiding underneath that cool exterior?

The colors are somber, charcoal gray, black and white, then all of a sudden there is a bright splash of electric blue and fire engine red! Then comes a silver three-piece suit again with that priest’s collar? Where art thou going, hombre?

Frida Giannini at Gucci touched on a familiar subject, rock & roll. But, though others like Les Hommes and Costume National used the English gentleman as their template, Giannini went farther East and landed in Russia as announced by the carpet that interspersed the Gucci logo with the word Russia.

The result, a dark and somber collection full of velvet and fringes, which make one think of Lester as a rock & roll star in Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with the Vampire series. Though the looks are contemporary enough, it was also passé in its treatment. The dark goth is so vampiric that Transylvania comes to mind.

So, while Costume National and Les Hommes presented very clear visions that are highly covetable, Frida Giannini’s message is lost among the big sacs and messenger bags that the models were carrying.