Visionary designer Alessandro Michele is well versed in presenting astonishing shows for Gucci, having previously toyed with baby dragons, waxwork heads and flame-licked Gothic crypts. However, his latest show at Milan Fashion Week surpassed even his own high standards.
The fashion mogul sent 68 sets of twins, reportedly sourced from a twins convention in America, down the runway in two identical shows, staged side by side and divided by a wall.
Oblivious to the matching show happening next door, the ruse was only revealed to the audience when the wall was lifted, and the identically dressed twins joined up on the running.
Visually dazzling, it was created around ideas of otherness and identity.
The show opened with a look of a long jacket, worn with trousers cropped off at the mid thigh and held up by suspenders, followed by a red coat dress paired with leopard print boots.
There were handbags made to look like Mogwais — the mythical characters from the 1984 film Gremlins, and most models wore glasses furnished with chains that hung almost to the shoulder.
Michelle threw in sequins, as boxy silver jackets paired with checked trousers, and a deep red suit; and all black leather — as oversized biker jackets worn over cutaway dresses. There was severe tailoring, in a nod to Tom Ford's time at the house, and a classic 1970s twin-set in white that reminded us all why Gucci became famous in the first place.
But most of all, this show was about patterning, as blousy florals on chiffon dresses, or workman-like spanners and wrenches, in blue, brown, green, red and orange and cut into jackets, coat and skirts.
There was 1980s era sportswear with square metallic leather shoulders, chinoiserie as embroidered skirts, mini dresses and as a a wonderful floor-length cape in pink and powder blue. Elsewhere, there was added glamour via slinky lame dresses, and short and long versions of draped nude chiffon, while plenty of looks were heaped with glossy ruffles and tiers.
An explosion of colours, ideas and energy, it was a tour de force. And, the choice to deliver it via twins was visually dazzling. In what must be one of Michele's finest moments, it also goes some way to explain his long obsession of twinning with actor Jared Leto on the red carpet. Perhaps there really is safety in numbers.
Scroll the gallery below to see the celebrities left seeing double at Gucci's twinned show in Milan
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MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
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