Gucci votes 'remain': Italian house celebrates UK with anglo-themed cruise collection

THE UK might not be the first country that springs to mind alongside the words "cruise" and "resort," but Anglomania is turning out to be a key pre-spring 2017 trend among the major fashion houses.
Both Christian Dior and Gucci chose English locations for their resort 2017 shows this week – with the latter taking over London's Westminster Abbey on Thursday evening in a historical fashion first.
Creative Director Alessandro Michele went all-out 'rule Britannia' on the collection, which ticked all the nationalistic style boxes, sweeping from dreamy printed floral silks to tartan kilts and Union Jack bomber jackets.
"I love the English aesthetic; in a way I feel it is close to my own, a beautiful chaos, it is a powerful mix of the past and the present," says the Italian.
Michele was thorough in his sartorial homage to the nation – the collection drew inspiration from the country's punk era as much as it did its Gothic Victorian heritage, its penchant for clompy Nineties boots and elegant garden party dresses – "When I think about London I think about gardens, beautiful gardens filled with flowers," he says.
The eccentricity of British style was captured perfectly through myriad quirky details such as cat motifs on ribbed sweatshirts, knee-high lace socks, rainbow striped stacked sneakers, tartan-checked suits and Thatcher-esque headscarves.
There was more than a touch of the irreverent, with pointed colorful loafers adorned with cherry baubles and belts decorated with animal brooches and, of course, the oversized bow he has become so fond of since taking the reins at the prestigious house. — AFP Relaxnews