Fashion and entertainment collided last week with GucciFest, the Italian house’s latest venture. At the beginning of quarantine, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele penned several letter titled Notes from the Silence, which details his decision opt out of the “worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence, closer to my expressive call.” That new cadence? A miniseries. Gucci’s Ouverture of Something That Never Ended is the house’s new future, proceeding its departure from Milan Fashion Week.
In lieu of showing a collection during the spring-summer 2021, this cerebral collection of seven episodes follows its main character, Italian actress Silvia Calderoni, as she wanders through Rome. It’s a Gucci runway in television form: whimsical, hyper-stylized, and a little nonsensical. This is the Gucci 2020 deserves. With a heavy dose of surrealism, each video is pleasantly confusing and altogether captivating. Each scene simultaneously reminds us of life in quarantine and our lives before it. Naturally, everyone’s dressed exclusively in Gucci, there are at least five Margo Tenenbaum-esque characters, and one episode acts as a beautiful tribute to the post office.
It’s both cerebral and familiar, bathed in dreamy morning light, and with a real penchant for lens flares. The star-studded cast includes Florence Welch, Billie Eilish, and Jeremy O. Harris, and brace yourself, Harry Styles wearing jorts.
Is there a sensible storyline? Absolutely not. But what it lacks in plot it more than makes up for in costume, cast, and batshit scenes like Lu Han cutting couture. Read on for our highlights from each episode.
Episode 1: ‘At Home’
The premiere episode of the series occurs in a place we’re all too familiar with: our apartments. Made in collaboration between Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele and director Gus Van Sant, Silvia strolls through her home wearing a runway look from fall-winter 2015.
Key highlight: Billie Eilish’s “all the good girls go to hell” still bops.
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Episode 2: ‘At The Café’
Sylvia walks through the neighborhood, populated by the most stylish neighbors, decked out in floral dresses, checkered velvet suits, and a couple guests sitting at a counter in the nude.
Key highlight: One friend talks about eating a flower, thorns and all.
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Episode 3: ‘At The Post Office’
If standing in line at USPS was anything like it appears in episode three, we imagine we wouldn’t need to buy merch to support the government institution. Sylvia sends a postcard while eavesdropping on Italian art critic Achille Bonito Oliva, who is having a conversation with Harry Styles. He’s wearing jorts.
Key highlight: I repeat, Harry. Styles. Wearing. Jorts.
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Episode 4: ‘The Theatre’
Remember places? Gucci does. Sylvia preps for an audition with a friend, played by playwright Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play). All we want is Harris to give us life advice: “You have the most beautiful soul ever seen and it’s clouded by anxiety and all of this in-your-headness.” The two touch and hug. A contemporary dance follows on stage and Sylvia dances with them in Christmas sequins.
Key highlight: Harris cracking Sylvia’s back, like the good friend he is.
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Episode 5: ‘The Neighbours’
Sylvia returns home. Quiet vignettes of domesticity through the Gucci lens reminds us of our current existence. Washing your windows. People watching from a afar. Staring at a hot guy shaving. Clothes-pinning your wigs up to dry. Asking your upstairs neighbor to turn down their music. Taking a bath fully dressed. Same.
Key highlight: Billie Eilish—dressed in Gucci sweats—hangs out with robots.
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Episode 6: At The Vintage Shop
The pandemic hasn’t stopped us from shopping. Sylvia heads to her local vintage shop and tries on sunglasses. A shopper enters, who basically embodies Gucci’s signature vintage aesthetic: Florence Welch.
Key highlight: The singer-songwriter wanders around doing what we hope is based off of her real-life interactions: anti-pickpocketing. She places poems in strangers’ purses while they try on Gucci faux furs.
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Episode 7: ‘A Nightly Walk’
In the final episode, Van Sant makes an appearance while Sylvia reads a poem through an intercom about her love of pink to a pink-haired Lu Han. She does the most Italian thing—riding a Vespa.
Key highlight: Sweeping views of Rome, because who knows when we can travel again.
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Fin.
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