Creative director Frida Gianniani marked the beginning of Milan Fashion Week on Wednesday with an unabashedly sexy show. An army of models took to the glossy black runway in a raunchy array of mesh-panelled dresses, patent leather knee-high boots and tight-fitting pencil skirts with slits up the back. Talking backstage, Frida revealed that "the Gucci woman seduces with her dangerous femininity" and that she is "steely yet sexy – defining her discipline with femme fatale vices."
She continued: "She wears sculpted dresses with pure graphics, all the while alluding to devious touches." Frida also revealed the accessories had been inspired by the fetish aesthetics of British pop artist Allen Jones, best known for his sculptures, whose work often involved over-the-knee rubber boots with skyscraping heels. The show was watched by Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek, who wore a purple leather belted suit that consisted of a pencil skirt and matching jacket. She teamed the plum-hued ensemble with knee-high leather boots and a black clutch bag.
The actress was accompanied to the presentation by her husband Francois-Henri Pinault, who is the owner of luxury label Gucci, and his daughter Mathilde. Meanwhile, Alberta Ferretti also unveiled her latest confections in the Italian capital, opting for a more stripped-back, minimalistic look. "It's the recognizable Ferretti shape and still authentic" Alberta said backstage, "but the importance is the precise style and quality – the shape is in the detail." It's very sophisticated, fragile and strong in between." She also chose to channel the Edwardian era, sending out fitted jackets, frilled and ruffled skirts and white embroidered dresses. Monochrome, the trend that seems to be sweeping the fashion world, overwhelmed the colour palette.