Material Girl

MANILA, Philippines – The Gucci geeks shall inherit the earth. Or at the very least, their grandma’s prized hand-me-downs. See, ever since he took the helm at Gucci as creative director, Alessandro Michele has managed to turn the fashion world on its head with his unique brand of cool. And for his second ready-to-wear collection, the Italian designer continues to present a kaleidoscopic vision that simultaneously feels familiar and novel, playful yet refined. It’s an offbeat take on fashion, one that signals a new era for the storied luxury label. Of course, with the house’s history spanning 94 years, it’s a pretty difficult feat to accomplish but Alessandro does it with aplomb, steering Gucci into a completely unexpected direction—one that’s refreshingly eclectic, distinctly Italian, and, well, just a whole lot of fun.

 “There are things here that look vintage, but don’t really exist as vintage—it’s the illusion of it,” Alessandro explains when asked about the brand’s spring/summer 2016 offerings. Nostalgic or otherwise, his flights of fancy have definitely served the fashion house well as he turns make-believe into wearable (and highly covetable) reality. Cases in point: an ivory printed muslin dress is embroidered with birds and trimmed with bright blooms, a silk duchesse dress is decorated with silver botanical embroidery and given a sportif twist with a striped knit waistband, a lurex rainbow crochet dress is layered with a floor-sweeping metallic pink cape, and the Carte de Tendre (a mythical map of tenderness published in 1654 by French intellectual Madeleine de Scudéry) is printed on a delicate long-sleeve silk dress.

His recent reign also ushered in the revival of the luxury label’s trademark insignias. From the equestrian-inspired Web stripe of the ‘50s to the interlocking double G logo created during the mid ‘60s, Gucci hallmarks are slowly finding their way back home. Interestingly, quirky accessories also played a pivotal role in shaping the new Gucci ideal. And boy, were they everywhere. Crocheted berets, decorative loafers, embellished rings, floral-embroidered bags, glitter-frame glasses, and shoulder-grazing danglers all vied for attention, glinting and sparkling and preening on the runway. The result is a collection that’s many things at once — geeky, romantic, girly, playful, pretty, kitschy, colorful, and brimming with confidence. Which drives Alessandro’s point home, really: Who needs perfection when you’ve got plenty of personality?

Gucci is located at the East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza. In the Philippines, Gucci is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. All photos courtesy of Gucci

Gangs of gucci

Which Gucci girl gang do you belong to? Find your place this spring/summer and choose from these cool crowds:

Sheer sorbet

Frothy see-through dresses in soft pastel hues have us feeling sweet and sexy.

Power dressing gets a playful spin as striking hues, wallpaper botanical prints, and vintage oversized frames give preppy styles added pizzazz.

Pretty in print

Wallflowers not welcome, these outfits are made to be seen. Print, color, texture, silhouette—we say, include ‘em all.

Fresh feeling

In creating the fashion house’s springtime beauty look, Gucci Cosmetics artistic director Pat McGrath eschewed a perfectly contoured face, focusing instead on lightly accentuating the models’ natural bone structure for a fresher finish. But would you believe it took a total of 11 cosmetics to create this “bare” visage? Take a closer look and you’ll see it — the luminous glow, the pale pink glossed puckers, the soft shadowed lids, the subtle inner corner eye highlights, the swipe of cocoa-colored mascara, the wash of blush… Hey, it takes time to look this effortless, you know.

Add-on and on

This season, forget about minimalism. When it comes to accessorizing, the more, the merrier. Alessandro Michele certainly recognized the power of the statement accessory and used it to full effect, rounding off his runway looks by piling on one super spiffy accent after another. Be a bona fide Gucci girl, easy peasy, with these zingy additions.

Fancy footwork

Good things come in pairs, especially when it comes in the form of decidedly festive footwear. Whether you’re a fan of double-platform T-straps and studded peep-toe sandals or maximalist mules and pearl-encrusted Mary Janes, these standout steppers are guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

Zoom in

Observe: Intricate floral embroidery on dyed leather skirts, trompe l’oeil pleats on

hand-sequined chiffon dresses, high shine beaded brooches on brocade suits... No doubt about it, Gucci’s attention to detail is mighty impressive (not to mention dazzling). From afar, the textured designs look stunning. Blown up and magnified? Even better.

Tian dynasty

Making its debut in Gucci’s spring/summer 2016 shows, the Gucci Tian is a new print featuring a brushstroke-style floral motif with a 3D perspective effect. Taking inspiration from Chinese heavenly landscape portrayed in 18th century tapestries and screens, the nifty pattern includes blooms, hummingbirds, dragonflies and butterflies. So does sporting this print count as communing with nature?