The Gucci Pre-Fall 2020 collection balanced contrasting bearers of meaning in the same outfit with Alessandro Michele playing it subtly but no less imaginatively.

Shapes had clarity, with hints to the elegance of the ’60s and to the free-spirited bohemia of the ’70s. Sharp masculine tailoring and a focus on construction were also prominent.

Logoed brassieres and underwire bras peeked from underneath blouses or crisscrossed open tops, worn under leather blazers. It was a gesture more evocative of an empowering attitude than of provocative sexual innuendo, underlining again the appreciation for self-determination and humanity that are among Michele’s strongest contributions to today’s cultural discourse.

To further highlight this message, the lookbook was shot in Rome, seen almost as an abstract, metaphysical De Chirico canvas through the lens of photographer Bruce Gilden. The cast of characters was as diverse as can be, including model and advocate Bethann Hardison and fashion legend Benedetta Barzini, both fabulous in their age-defying charisma and presence.

An Iconic street photographer with a unique style, Bruce Gilden’s work has been exhibited in museum and art galleries all over the world and is part of many collections and has published 22 monographs of his work.