THE JOURNAL

Here’s the best of the new Gucci collection, with some tips on how to make it look even better.
It’s one of the most talked-about style reinventions of the past decade. Mr Alessandro Michele, who replaced Ms Frida Giannini as Gucci’s creative director in January 2015, has brought a new, iconoclastic vision to the 95-year-old luxury brand, with a series of androgynous, gawkily cool collections that have shocked and thrilled the critics. Of course, this is all well and good, but how do you wear it? Though we must accord a certain amount of respect to any man who attempts to replicate one of Mr Michele’s rather outré runway ensembles on the streets of a modern metropolis, we also realise that most will probably not want to commit so fully as yet. Consider the following, then, a quick guide to working some of the latest Gucci pieces from the newly arrived AW16 pre-collection into your wardrobe, however risk-averse you happen to be.
THE T-SHIRT

There’s obviously a lot going on in this prodigiously embellished T-shirt, which combines floral appliqués with a bold, embroidered snake design. But, given that the inspiration is clearly the sort of pre-loved, lovingly customised pieces you might find in a thrift store, you can make it work by running with the vintage theme, and pairing it with an artfully worn-in denim jacket from Japanese brand Visvim. Though they’re somewhat timeless, a pair of sand-coloured chinos will help to complete the throwback feel here.
Wear it with
THE TRACK TOP

The track top is set to be a trend for AW16, largely because of Mr Michele’s love for pieces such as the above. We’ve already published some general guidelines for how to wear a track top, but in this particular case you can complement its striped cuffs and collar with a striped T-shirt in neutral black and white. Black cotton chinos will keep the look the right side of smart (while any kind of track pant will do the opposite, and is not advised).
wear it with
the shell jacket

This shell jacket is the kind of light, decidedly casual piece that will work particularly well for weekends and holidays. The print on it may be particularly busy (focusing as it does on that most bustling of insects, the bee), but you can harmonise it with the rest of your outfit by picking coordinating items in its key colours – deep red and navy – or tonal variations thereof. We particularly like the idea of lounging about on a breezy, sunny day (perhaps by the sea) in the below sweatpants from Mr Tomas Maier, with a pair of denim slip-ons from Bottega Veneta.