5 things to know about 'Aria', Gucci's new show

Today the new Gucci show for the Aria collection was held. A very important show for the brand, both because it marked the centenary of the foundation, and because it represented a change of gear for Alessandro Michele's brand that, during previous seasons, had renounced the model of seasonal collections and participation in fashion weeks to find its creative freedom in absolute independence. And Alessandro Michele did not skimp on surprises in a fashion film co-directed by Floria Sigismondi and Alessandro Michele digitally presented that brought to the catwalk a series of new looks that summarize the past, present and future of the brand – also presenting a new "hacking experience" with Balenciaga, the first of its kind.

Michele himself, in his show notes, defined the collection as «a deep and ecstatic diving in everything we yearningly miss today». To better understand the singular themes of the collection, here are the 5 main things to know about the latest Gucci show presented today.

The Gucci/Balenciaga duet 

For the 100th anniversary of the brand, Alessandro Michele "hacked" Demna Gvasalia aestethic for a series of looks and accessories that blend Balenciaga's silhouettes with classic Gucci fabrics. The most notable items are the Jackie bag by Gucci and the Hourglass bag by Balenciaga covered with a co-branded version of balenciaga's All-Over Logo Pattern. The same pattern is also replicated on various dresses, the most notable of which is a suit entirely covered with sequins. Demna's influence, however, has also extended to other looks and silhouettes from the boxy cut of the collection but also to accessories such as sunglasses and necklaces but also the boots present in many of the looks.

The Savoy 

The inscription "Savoy" is perhaps the protagonist of the graphics of the collection. Its origin recalls the Savoy Hotel, the no plus ultra of london's luxury hotels from the nineteenth century onwards, frequented among others by Oscar Wilde, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles and Winston Churchill. It was at the Savoy that Guccio Gucci worked during his London period, discovering the world of luxury luggage and, finally, developing the idea of returning home and opening a suitcase shop that would later become the Gucci we know. In the 1920s, the hotel inspired the name of the Savoy Ballroom in New York, an iconic venue that was called "the Heartbeat of Harlem" and was one of the landmarks for the evolution of swing and jazz culture in America.

Equestrian Inspiration

Jockey helmets, leather harnesses, whips and Horsebit details recall the world of horse racing – a clear reference to the origins of the brand, originally born as a luggage and saddlery. This visual appeal, so deeply linked to the history of the brand, is also underlined by the presence of real horses in the final scenes of the fashion film but it is not the only reference to the brand's past: even the famous Flora print dating back to the 1960s returns and covers an entire women's suit, including socks and shoes. 

Party-going

With an ironic and very meta-narrative decision, the brand used as the soundtrack of the fashion film a series of trap and hip-hop songs that mentioned Gucci in their lyrics. The first look appeared on the notes of Gucci Gang by Lil Pump, Gucci Flip-Flops by Bhad Babie, Green Gucci Suit by Rick Ross and Future, Gucci On My Bag by Mier but also Gucci Coochie by Die Antwoord and Waiting For The Stars by Vitalic, feat. Shaw, David and The Beat. It's perhaps the first time the brand has used such a modern soundtrack for a show. The reason was to evoke the idea of celebration in the dual sense of ceremony and celebration, in honor of the brand's birthday; and a literal party that becomes, however, an experience of ecstasy in a kind of earthly paradise.

Heart-shaped bags

We already knew that the bags would be among the protagonists of the collection, and without any doubt the most remarkable was the one in the shape of an anatomical heart and covered with sequins.