Whether you are interested in the fashion industry or not, you may have noticed a surge of couture products on the street––specifically Gucci. Over the past year to two years, Gucci products have become all the rage, from backpacks to sneakers. With this said, Gucci just hosted their Autumn/Fall 2018 runway show in Milan. Needless to say, it was weird.
Now I understand that Gucci is a couture designer who, with their popularity and influence over the fashion industry, can essentially send whatever they want down the runway. But after reviewing their new collection I couldn’t help but ask myself… Is this fashion?
After reading a few articles online I discovered that the creative director’s vision was to create a collection that represented many different styles as one, a hybrid of sorts. However, it resulted in a very jumbled and incoherent line of ensembles that paraded down the hospital-themed runway. Yes, the runway was made to look like a hospital; complete with fluorescent lights, hospital beds, and that sickening seafoam green color.
Photo Credit: Fashion Week Daily
That’s not the weirdest part. It gets worse. One model strutted down the runway in a gorgeous black gown emblazoned with clustered crystals. But the dress wasn’t the object of everyone’s attention; the dead baby dragon the model cradled in her arms was.
Yes, you read that correctly. A fabricated baby dragon. Not a purse or a handbag; a baby dragon. Now, to me, this wasn’t just the oddest choice of accessory, but a poor marketing decision. I understand that often times fashion shows are not necessarily about marketing, but they are about displaying a designer’s creations. Rather than enhance the model’s attire, the dragon detracted from it.
Photo Credit: Vogue
However, the dragon was not the oddest thing a model was seen carrying down the Gucci runway. Two models sported replicas of their own heads in the crook of their arm like basketballs. Weird, yet again. While it does correspond with the creative director’s vision, I still do not understand what this outlandishness has to do with fashion.
It may be out of the ordinary and breaking the boundaries, but in certain circumstances, I wonder if the boundaries need to be broken. What did these aspects add to the show overall? Yes, it increased publicity for the brand but not in a necessarily positive way.
With that in mind, Gucci was also highly criticized for cultural appropriation. Several white models were sent down the runway wearing headpieces native to the Sikhs. According to the National Review, many people called out the brand for mocking the turban, including Avan Jogia, an actor known to many millennials for his role on Victorious.
Overall, Gucci’s Fall 2018 runway show was somewhat a mess. However, that isn’t to say that the company won’t make any profit off their chaotic ensembles. Many people will most likely still spend thousands of dollars on the products, despite the controversy. That’s just the way of the world…and apparently the fashion industry.
Cover Photo Credit: The New York Times
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