Gucci S/S 2018

Scene setting: Gucci’s remarkable runway set blended an eclectic range of references. Creative director Alessandro Michele looked to an ancient map of the countryside retreat of Horace, the crumbling columns of the Imperial Flora and the graphic markings of the Milan Metro for his S/S 2018 show space inspiration. This culminated in a streetlamp-paved urban setting, its floor lined with embossed black PCV and yellow stripes – a nod to the graphics of the Milan subway, and its colourful benches placed amongst awe-inspiring mythical arches, statues and columns, like a replica Egyptian mummy, a war-hungry Roman Emperor and and plethora of ancient deities.

Mood board: Michele’s clothes are known for resisting categorisation – it would take days to pick apart all of the references in his designs. His S/S 2018 collection was described as an ‘act of resistance’ to the markings and symbols that are used to define us. The translation? A collection packed with references, spanning a cacophony of genres. Think louche eighties, medieval monasticism, the elegant fur clad forties, the stage outfits of Elton John, Americana – the list goes on.

Best in show: A marking of Michele’s appointment in 2015, the creative director has spent time playing with the house’s logo. Last year saw a smart collaboration with Gucci Ghost, the American graffiti artist who was known for spray painting the house’s logo. Earlier this month Gucci announced its collaboration with Dapper Dan, the Harlem couturier renowned for creating bootleg clothing, including pieces with the Gucci logo. For S/S 2018, Michele created a black and white Gucci logo sweatshirt, and paired it with a wide red collared shirt. Worn together the pieces evoked the graphic design of a packet of Marlboro Reds. Smoking may be a killer, but when it has the Gucci touch, damn does it look good.