It’s been two years since Alessandro Michele put Gucci on the Milan runway and let’s be real, his homecoming was never going to be business as usual.
Only a few days in and Milan Fashion Week has already provided us with a slew of viral moments, from Bella and Gigi Hadid dressed as furniture for Moschino, Fendi‘s tiny bags, and Diesel‘s inflatable dolls, to the much-anticipated reveal of what is sure to be the year’s hottest collab: Adidas x Gucci.
The idea of prospective cooperation between the two companies has been circulating for a few months, but Gucci’s AW22 show confirmed it by sending models down the catwalk in high-fashion ensembles with both the distinctive GG monogram and three-stripe logos.
The Italian fashion label delivered on a dazzling display titled ‘Exquisite,’ set within a hall of mirrors, with a star-studded audience including a glowing, pregnant Rihanna sat on the frow beside partner ASAP Rocky.
The show notes for Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele read: ‘I use the metaphor of the magical mirror to approach the phantasmagorical power of fashion. A sacred power that radiates from the surface of the fabrics. And there I work, on this tactile surface, through cross-references, alterations, loopholes and grafts. Juxtaposing worlds and meanings. Altering the stability of perception. Manipulating and magnifying the existing.’
What could be more of a juxtaposition than Gucci’s opulent tailoring adorned with the sporty Adidas logo? Michele teased the collaboration by sending out the first models in traditional Adidas trainers before delivering the goods: intricately cut, contemporary suiting with the lateral three stripes, Adidas-embroidered knitwear, sporty-chic gowns, and ultra-covetable accessories like hats, bags, gloves, and shoes.