In the midst of the big bi-annual fashion marathon in London, Milan, Paris and New York, GUCCI unveils a capsule collection based on the friendship between its creative director, Alessandro Michele, and British singer-songwriter and actor, Harry Styles.
Dubbed the “HA HA HA Collection” – the name is actually a mix of the initials of Michele and Styles’ names, but it also nods to the onomatopoeic sound of the laughing face emoji used for years to end their messages – the collection harnesses a sense of joy and serves as an “inventive journey for two.”
“Friendship, complicity, a unification of distinct creativities that meet along a shared border, exchanges, and contaminations of collective ideas. And the construction of the absolute pragmatism of bridges that form to connect different perspectives,” we can read in a foreword.
“Harry has an incredible sense of fashion. Observing his ability to combine items of clothing in a way that is out of the ordinary compared to the required standards of taste and common sense and the homogenization of appearance, I came to understand that the styling of a look is a generator of differences and of powers, as are his reactions to the designs I have created for him, which he has always made his own; these reactions restore me with a rush of freedom every time. The idea of working together came to me one day while we were talking on the phone: I proposed creating a ‘dream wardrobe’ with him, starting from those small oddities that come together in childlike visions. We ended up with a mix of aesthetics from 1970s pop and bohemian to the revision of the image of the gentleman in an overturned memory of men’s tailoring,” said Alessandro Michele.
Each look in the capsule merges the two artists’ distinctive style, with a ’70s aesthetic that fits well with the rest of the clothes and accessories on sale at Cavalli & Nastri, one of Milan’s oldest vintage stores, where GUCCI hosted the presentation.
Velvet suits in irregular tones, flared pants, duffle coats with a British spirit in masculine fabrics, pyjamas with surprising patterns, bowling shirts, velvet suits – the heart of the collection – pleated kilts and patchwork leather jacket… In this amazing collection, the worlds of Harry Styles and Alessandro Michele are combined with panache and extravagance – extravagance is also the word that defines the style of the interpreter of Watermelon Sugar. The prints, meanwhile, are just as stunning, with cherries, squirrels, sheep, hearts and the collection’s mascot, grumpy teddy bears. The prints are repeated on pajamas, while patches inject whimsy onto knitwear or a ribbed white tank. Accessories include an updated Jackie Bag covered with grommets.
The collection will hit stores in October and on GUCCI.com