GUCCI A/W 16 AND SS/ 17 REPORT

LOTTI MARTIN-FULLER GUCCI APPRAISAL STUDENT ID: 201038548 FASHION IN CONTEXT DESN 1375 WORD COUNT: 1548

CONTENTS

2 3 4 5 6 7 THE INTRODUCTION

A/W 2016 : THE OUTFIT

THE MINIDRESS

THE SLEEVES

THE HANDBAG

THE ACCESSORIES

8 9 11 12 13 14 S/S 2017: THE OUTFIT

THE JUMPSUIT

THE GLASSES

PLATFORM SHOES

THE CONCLUSION

REFERENCE LIST 1

Fashion is constantly changing, with styles updated seasonally, clothes cannot be kept at the height of fashion for long, so naturally the fashion industry revisits past styles in the 21st Century for inspiration.

The terms vintage and retro are being used more widely in the fashion industry, with a rise in the use of secondhand clothes as it stimulates “memories or subtle associations with images and objects from other decades and centuries” (Palmer and Clark, 2005). Consumers of the fashion industry cling onto the idea of nostalgia and many are now finding their nostalgia roots through the way they dress.

INTRODUCTION

As Vasku and Vodicka say, “most trends in the field of design are based on recourses of previous trends and styles” (no date). This coincides with Gucci’s recent collections which are focused heavily on past trends from times such as the Renaissance period and the 60s/70s/80s. This appraisal will focus on an outfit from the A/W 16 collection and the same from the S/S 17 collection in order to examine what the outfit is inspired by and how it has been updated to fit into 21st Century fashion.

[FIG 1]

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GUCCI A/W 2016 LOOK 62: This collection seems to have captured different elements of the past perfectly, as it “cross-references puffy 1980s shoulders with the bodices from 16th-century portraits” (Mower, 2016).

Look 62 of the A/W 2016 collection is synonymous with the Swinging Sixties era. The main element of the outfit, the mini dress, in the style of a pinafore was a statement piece of clothing in the 1960s. The mini-skirt was a breakthrough from the youth-quake that was happening in the 1960s, and Mary Quant popularized the mini-skirt as “a sign of greater freedom and relaxation” (Connikie, c2007). The mini dress superseded the mini-skirt as it was versatile and easy to wear and was often an emblem of youthfulness, often worn by Mods, a fashionable youth subculture at the time.

“SWINGING SIXTIES”

[FIG 2]

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THE MINIDRESS Gucci’s take on the pinafore dress is likewise to one of the 1960s, such as Mary Quant’s half skirt, half dress (see fig 3).

Gucci have adapted the mini dress to a 21st Century fashion, whilst most mini dresses in the 60s were “powerful patterns” or “pop art prints” (Watt, 2013), this dress is a block muted teal colour. However, the contrasting colours of the dress to jumper is a trend reproduced from the 60s, which favoured bright and bold colours alongside daring materials like metallic PVC or shiny rayon.

This vintage inspired outfit has been updated for the different social climate today, as the dress is worn bare-legged whereas women in the 1960s wore tights in order to cover their modesty, which were often brightly coloured or covered in patterns to contrast with their dress.

[FIG 4]

[FIG 3]

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A striking factor of 1960s mini dresses was often the “little white girly collars” (WestonThomas, 2014) that popped out from underneath them. Other variants were “polo neck jumpers or tie neck blouses” (Western-Thomas, 2014) – the sole focus of the outfit was surrounding the collar (see figure 6).

THE SLEEVES Gucci have played on this idea however have decided to place the focus on the sleeves rather than the collar, which are tiered and frilled around the shoulder blade. These statement, “attention-grabbing sleeves” (Brewer, 2016) are a huge trend for Autumn/Winter 2016 and so this outfit is updated for the current customer market (see figure 7).

[FIG 6]

Gucci’s dress looks like a pinafore dress with a jumper underneath from first glance, however it is only one garment sewed together to give it the sixties look.

[FIG 7] [FIG 5]

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THE HANDBAG

[FIG 10]

The 1960s saw the arrival of the handbag as a fashion statement, they were no longer just for practicality but added another level of style to a chosen outfit.

This is echoed in Gucci’s choice of the Dionysus leather top handle bag to be paired with the outfit, similar to the Gucci Jackie bag in the 1960s which was donned by Jackie Onassis (see figure 8).

Jackie Onassis was a fashion icon who created the trend of a structured bag with “fine tailoring and quality workmanship” (Henrietta’s Handbags, c2017) often with a top handle (see figure 10).

“This new generation of handbags featured zips, frames, locks, fasteners and handles” (Watt, 2013), with popular designs being finished in fake animal prints.

[FIG 8]

[FIG 9]

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THE ACCESSORIES

[FIG 11]

Other details in the outfit are the statement “diamanteframed sunglasses” (Mower, 2016) which are similar to those of André Courrèges ‘Eclipse’ sunglasses in the 60s (see figure 13) or the Jackie O Ray Ban sunglasses (see figure 11). Gucci have reworked these vintage styled sunglasses by adding diamantes to the frames and creating a more angular frame than seen in the 1960s.

Lastly, Gucci mirror the 1960s heavily with the shoes similar to Mary-Jane Pumps often worn by dancers instead of heels, and usually paired with knee high socks (also a similar look for school kids). This outfit has added pearls to the patent shoe and t-bar strap that match those that are on the large statement necklace. The 1960s focused heavily on attention-grabbing jewelry with many opting for plastic, whilst older women still wore precious jewelry much like the choice of pearls for this A/W outfit.

[FIG 12]

[FIG 13] 7

GUCCI S/S 2017 LOOK 42:

The S/S 2017 runway was a “simulacrum of a ’70s nightclub” (Mower, 2016), which explains the strong 1970s theme running through the collection. Look 42 reflects this, as to an onlookers eye the outfit resembles a 1970/80s jumpsuit worn in the disco era paired with studded platforms that were the symbol of many popstars at the time, the 1970s are “rearing its head in modern fashion” (Olsen, 2016). The outfit is “a phantasmagoria of vintage 20th-century pop-culture references, bound up with relics of the Renaissance” (Mower, 2016) - the ‘jumpsuit’, or rather, the shirt and matching trouser suit, is an amalgamation of 1970s/1980s popculture dress in a Renaissance silk pattern.

“70’s NIGHTCLUB”

[FIG 14]

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THE JUMPSUIT

SHIRT AND PANT SUIT [FIG 16]

The jumpsuit was considered high fashion towards the end of the 70s and the start of the 80s, where it evolved from an unstructured jumpsuit that features ruffled flares to a structured pant suit with shoulder pads (see figure 15).

This Gucci outfit has taken inspiration from both eras as it has a structured shirt with large lapels that give an “industrial work-clothes vibe” (Sooney, 2010) inspired by the 1980s, whilst the “wide, flowing legs” (Sooney, 2010) were taken straight out of the 1970s fad.

[FIG 15] 9

THE JUMPSUIT

SHIRT AND PANT SUIT

[FIG 18]

[FIG 17]

The trousers of this outfit are “belled and flared” (Zurek, 2015) likewise to 1970s fashion donned by popculture icons such as ABBA (see figure 17). Although the flared, ruffled trousers are synonymous of the 1970s, this outfit has been updated for a 21st Century market by changing the material from metallic satin (Herald, 2007), to silk. Gucci have also added ‘Modern Future’ graffiti appliqué that gives a relief effect by the printing technique, to the back of the shirt as “the concept of time influences the collection” (Gucci, 2017) (see figure 18).

The shirt and pant silk suit is “inspired by a classical design” (Gucci, 2017) as it features a Renaissance-like pattern.

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THE GLASSES

[FIG 19] The Gucci glasses are part of the Hollywood Forever eyewear collection which is inspired by “70s color and form” (Gucci, 2017) – they are “upside-down cat-eye shapes accented with mother-of-pearl flourishes” (Gucci, 2017). Glasses are in style in the 21st Century with people using the term ‘optical wardrobe’ and therefore, Gucci have made “Elton John styles an important part of its new aristo-geek look” (Pithers, 2016). Elton John made colourful, oversized and ‘wacky’ glasses popular in the 1970s (see figure ???) and these have been emulated today, with oversized glasses being worn in 2017 in order to achieve a nerdy, academic look (Pithers, 2016) (see figure ???).

[FIG 20] 11

PLATFORM SHOES The 1970s have influenced this outfit further seen in the choice of shoes – a platform heel which mixes “vintage shapes with modern and eclectic details” (Gucci, 2017). The platform shoe originated in the glam rock music movement with stars such as David Bowie or Elton John wearing them to perform in (see figure 22). The “gigantically platformed footwear” (Mower, 2016) also link to the Renaissance period however, as Michele explained that “prostitutes in Venice used to these” (Mower, 2016) as living in the city of floods meant that elevated shoes soon became stylish in the 15th Century. The vintage platform shoe has been reworked by Gucci as the platform loafers are actually a two-for-one that has a flat slipper inside when the shoe is dismantled.

[FIG 22]

[FIG 21] 12

CONCLUSION

There is a running theme of vintage styles and nostalgia throughout the collection, as even the setting of the S/S 2017 runway was a flashback to the 1970s where “a white mist imitates cigarette smoke” in a nightclub (Mower, 2016) (see figure 23). Fashion is not only a theory of art, but a way to express ourselves, and so wearing a garment inspired by another era brings back memories of the culture at that time – such as flares and platforms seen in the S/S 16 outfit refer back to the disco craze in the 1970s, which for many was a momentous era in their lives. As Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci says, “historical objects are an incredible source of inspiration for creating the present” (Gucci, 2017).

[FIG 23]

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REFERENCE LIST Brewer, T. 2016. Trend Alert! It’s All About Statement Sleeves. The Trend Spotter. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.thetrendspotter.net/2016/11/statement-sleeves-trend.html Connikie, Y. c2007. Fashions of a Decade: The 1960s. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.

Gucci, 2017. Romaine print silk shirt. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/women/womens-ready-to-wear/womens-tops-shirts/womens-long-sleeve-shirts/romaine-printsilk-shirt-p-470990ZID731109 Gucci, 2017. House Style. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/us/en/st/stories/article/spring_summer_2017_chatsworth_exhibition Gucci. 2017. Hollywood Forever. [Online]. [Accessed April 28 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/us/en/st/stories/article/spring_summer_2017_hollywood_forever_sunglasses_shoppable Gucci. 2017. Crystal studded leather loafer. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/women/womens-shoes/womens-pumps/crystal-studded-leather-loafer-p465990C9D001000?position=12&listName=ProductGridComponent&categoryPath=Women/Womens-Shoes Henrietta’s Handbags, c2017. A Brief History of Handbags in the 1960s. Henrietta’s Handbags. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017].

Available from: https://henriettashandbags.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=14 Herald, J. 2007. Fashions of Decade: The 1970s. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.

Mower, S. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear Gucci. Vogue. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#coverage Mower, S. 2016. Spring 2017 Ready-To-Wear Gucci. Vogue. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci 14

REFERENCE LIST Olsen, M. 2016. Revisit fearless '70s fashion trends this fall. TCA Regional News. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://0-search.proquest.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/docview/1817403599?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=14664 Palmer, A. and Clark, H. 2005. Old clothes, new looks: Second-Hand fashion. First Edition ed. Oxford: Berg Publishers.

Pithers, E. 2016. The Joy Of Specs. Vogue. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/stylish-glasses-guide-2016 Sooney, P. 2010. Jumpsuits in the 80s. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.liketotally80s.com/2010/02/jumpsuits/ Vasku, M. and Vodicka, R. [no date]. Inspiration by Vintage Style in the Field of Applied Art: Creating the Student Lifestyle Brand NEWINTAGE. Advances in Environment, Computational Chemistry and Bioscience. Pp.369-373. [Online]. [Accessed 29 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.wseas.us/e-library/conferences/2012/Montreux/BIOCHEMENV/BIOCHEMENV-58.pdf Watt, J. 2013. Fashion: The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style. London: Dorling Kindersley Weston-Thomas, P. 2014. The 60s Mini Skirt – The 1960s Fashion History. [Online]. [Accessed 29 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.fashion-era.com/the_1960s_mini.htm Zurek, S. 2015. 1970s Jumpsuits and Fashion? Still Relevant?. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://stillblondeafteralltheseyears.com/2015/04/1970s-jumpsuits-fashion-relevant/

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Beller, T. 2003. Fashion: Nostalgia. Vogue. 193(4), pp. 98, 104.

Donnelly, M. 2005. Sixties Britain: Culture, Society and Politics. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

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FIGURE LIST Figure 1: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#atmosphere Figure 2: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#collection Figure 3: Watt, J. 2013. Fashion: The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style. London: Dorling Kindersley.

Figure 4: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#details Figure 5: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#details Figure 6: Watt, J. 2013. Fashion: The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style. London: Dorling Kindersley.

Figure 7: Farra, E. 2015. The Disney Princess Look Has New Tricks Up Its Sleeve for Spring. [Online]. Vogue.

[Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/article/princess-pouf-statement-sleeves-jw-andersongucci-fashion-week Figure 8: Pinterest. 2017. Gucci Navy Jackie O Bag. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/57350595227229075/ Figure 9: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#details Figure 10: Watt, J. 2013. Fashion: The Ultimate Book of Costume and Style. London: Dorling Kindersley.

Figure 11: Pinterest. 2017. Pure Elegance. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/hess3157/pure-elegance/?lp=true Figure 12: Vogue. 2016. Fall 2016 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2016-ready-to-wear/gucci#details Figure 13: Pinterest. 2017. André Courrèges "Eskimo”. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/389772542722467619/ Figure 14: Gucci. 2017. Look 42: Spring Summer 2017 Runway. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/lo/runway/women/spring-summer-2017-runway/look-42-p-SS17_FSWLook42EU Figure 15: Butterick. 2017. Butterick 4946. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Butterick_4946_A Figure 16: Vogue. 2016. Spring 2017 Ready-To-Wear. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci/slideshow/collection#42 17

FIGURE LIST Figure 17: Pinterest. 2017. Original ‘Mamma Mia’ Abba costume. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/232076187026936154/ Figure 18: Gucci. 2017. Romaine print silk shirt. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/women/womens-ready-to-wear/womens-tops-shirts/womens-long-sleeve-shirts/romaineprint-silk-shirt-p-470990ZID731109?listName=LookDetailsCarouselComponent&position=1 Figure 19: Gucci. 2017. Hollywood Forever. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.gucci.com/us/en/st/stories/article/spring_summer_2017_hollywood_forever_sunglasses_shoppable Figure 20: Elton John. 2017. Elton John Archive. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.eltonjohn.com/media/photos/archive/ Figure 21: Vogue. 2016. Spring 2017 Ready-To-Wear Details. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci#details Figure 22: Chernkinoff, L. 2016. Remembering David Bowie’s Fearless Fashion. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/g27526/remembering-david-bowies-fearless-fashion/ Figure 23: Vogue. 2016. Spring 2017 Ready-To-Wear Atmosphere. [Online]. [Accessed 28 April 2017]. Available from: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci#atmosphere

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