Gucci’s runway Spring/Summer 2006 collection shocked and surprised with its heavy dose of black mixed with forest green, dark pink, and brown. Not your typical summer colors, but wearing white after Labor Day has long been a discarded rule, anyway.
But Gucci has certainly struck gold with the collection. Bold solid colors complemented horizontal stripes and flirty floral prints (you can’t completely forget about May flowers for spring). Pants were sleek and form-fitting, and dresses, whether short or long, were dainty and demure. The fabrics were a range from sleek and silky to loose chiffon. Whatever kind of fabric, the bold colors pop and catch any eye. A lady lucky enough to walk down the street in Gucci will be a traffic-stopper this spring and summer!
Necklines for blouses were either dangerously open keyholes or boatneck style. Skirts and culottes remained between the knee and mid-thigh in length, but covering skin can never erase the sex appeal of Gucci. Flowing silk dress shirts, skirts, and dresses are going to be snatched off the racks for spring and summer office wear, and floral-print halter swimsuits and sundresses will be the delight of that backyard barbecue.
Gucci has held its dominance in the fashion market despite several management disputes because its designers know what women want to wear; they intuit what looks sexy and what clothes give women that boost of confidence. Tom Ford, recently retired from Gucci in late 2003, gave the company a boost in the mid-1990s with forward-thinking style; rumors surround when he will begin his own Tom Ford label.
With the Spring/Summer 2006 collection (Frida Giannini is now Creative Director of the entire brand), buzz is just as hot as after Ford’s pinnacle ready-to-wear 1995 collection. It’s really not hard to see why: these clothes sure have this fashionista lusting after warm spring days and sultry summer nights.
