Fabrizio and Stefano Occhipinti for
GUCCI
Roman Rhapsody, Cruise 2018 Campaign
With Alessandro Michelle’s take over of Gucci, the brand has seen some radical but immensely progressive changes. These changes, that have become the brands trademark, have made sure to place Gucci on the industry’s hotlist making one of the most sought after brands with its opulent clothing and statement leather goods and accessorize. Among the many successful rebellions of Alessandro’s is his initiative to challenge gender in fashion.
As we can see in the picture above, although Fabrizio and Stefano Occhipinti are men they have been represented in a manner in which they come across to the viewers as very women like. While the two of them have masculine bodies and heavy beards, their body languages, clothing, hairstyles and accessories tend to speak very differently of their gender. The gold laurel wreaths on their heads placed above their long soft looking hair has this quality that makes me feel like they’re Roman princesses. The oversized white v-neck sweater paired with the short and fitting boxers, leaves space to expose enough skin on his legs and the chest area, a manner in which women would’ve dressed as they like to show off their womanly attributes – smooth legs and cleavage. Lastly, their body postures and the background set up in which they’re placed makes them look like two lovers or girl best friends at a sleepover. The pastel shades and dainty intricate designs create this aura of whimsy. The positioning of the hands on the arm as a would a girlfriend do and on the thighs is again another feminine aspect of this picture.
This photograph subverts the masculinity of these men in a very acceptable and subtle way. It has not represented these men in suits, tight shirts or showing off their muscular bodies – the stereotypical/standard image we all have of male models.
Through this image we realize that gender is not definite even though we do have these set societal norms and expectations for it. People who like to challenge gender have proven over time that it is possible to challenge it and is a concept as normal as sticking to your gender.
As stated in Susan Kaiser’s book, ‘Gender is aways under construction, socially and culturally speaking…a subject position with all of the historical baggage regarding roles, ways of appearing and expectations that one would expect from prescriptive cultural discourses that become embodied in every habitus. But it also interacts with other subject positions to become a form of subjectivity and-indeed agency-that requires ongoing articulation.’. ¹
1 Susan B. Kaiser, Fashion and Cultural Studies (London; New York: Bloomsbury Publishing Inc., 2015), 123.