Call it Hannibal Lecter chic.
Gucci responded to criticism of its $900 balaclava winter sweater/mask design that resembled blackface — which the brand apologized for and quickly pulled from stores and online — by sending out more than a dozen eerie eye and face covers on both male and female models in its fall 2019 show.
Designer Alessandro Michele’s bizarre disguises ranged from “Silence of the Lambs”-style white restraint masks and spiky black S&M-esque numbers to molded shields in vivid green and red. These weren’t festive, feathered Mardi Gras masks; they were feature-erasing accoutrements.
The show, held on Wednesday in Milan, was the talk of the town and fans watched the live stream in the Gucci stories on Instagram. Many onlookers had mixed feelings about the odd accessories and a few had snark to spare.
One wondered ,“What in the holiday Halloween is going on here.” Another practical person stated, “these are creepy, yet cool, yet waytoomuchexpensive.”
The big question is, will the company actually sell them? And if so, will the Gucci Gang really buy and wear headgear that’s part Darth Vader, part sex and mischief? Either way: Trick or treat!
