Seeing Double at Gucci Twinsburg Spring/Summer 2023

Gucci Twinsburg saw 68 sets of twins walk down the runway.

Runway of Gucci Twinsburg Spring/Summer 2023.

Monochrome portraits of twins lined the walls of the show venue with varying facial expressions. Not that we weren’t aware of the theme underscored by the show’s suggestive title: Gucci Twinsburg; but in true Michele style, his presentations are never quite so straightforward. And as the walled partition of portraits opened to reveal a parallel runway, the true nature of the show revealed itself with models in identical looks walking in tandem. But it was the show’s finale that drove the message home: models entered the runway from opposite ends with their hands outstretched, reaching out to their other selves and connecting, hands clasped tightly together, before separating again at the end of the runway. Colleagues and friends who were present agreed; a well of sweeping emotions bubbled up inside at the poignant sight.

“I am a son of two mothers: mum Eralda and mum Giuliana. Two extraordinary women who made their twinship the ultimate seal of their existence,” Michele shared in show notes. “The grace of their duplicated and expanded love gave rise to my eternal fascination for the double, for the things that seem to reflect equal to themselves,” he continued.

The show opened to sound bites about identity, further emphasising Michele’s prevailing topic surrounding consciousness and individuality. “It’s exactly the impossibility of the perfectly identical that nourishes the magic of twins. Twinsburg plays this game, producing a tension in the relationship between original and copy.” Exploring the intricacies of duality and power of connection, the nature of twins portrayed Michele’s inherent understanding of singularity; the illusion of its beauty, as well as frailty, of its essence. “Fashion, after all, lives on serial multiplications that don’t hamper the most genuine expression of every possible individuality.”

On the runway were tailored pieces pinched from Tom Ford’s glamorous era, but subverted with garters to reveal underwear and skin. Then, there were comforting looks in the form of retro-looking quilted trousers, skirts and jackets complete with floral motifs that brought images of blankets and wallpapers to mind. Of course, eveningwear saw plenty of embellishments and sequins that emulated the richness of disco-fuelled eras. In particular, elements inspired by oriental culture were rife throughout the collection, with mandarin collars, intricate knotted fasteners and cascading floral embroidery weaving their way delicately throughout. Gender fluid elements appeared as boxy silhouettes and manifested as graphic prints comprising of lipsticks and spanners. Finally, ’80s furball, Gizmo from Gremlins, made an appearance touching on the shows theme of duality.