GUCCI Men's Fall/Winter 2013-14

As I watched the runway show for GUCCI's Men's Fall/Winter 2013-2014 collection, I got the sense that the Gucci man had become younger. Yes, we all know fashion is lip-locked with looking younger and younger as each season goes by but that usually sits within the realm of the garments alone. Inclusive in this messaging as I watched the show were the facial features of the male models. They literally all look like they're between sixteen and twenty-one. I'm not complaining, just pointing out an observation. I could also be the only one to have noticed or perceived it in that manner.

“The Gucci man expresses his inherently free spirit with bold nonchalance,” explains Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini. “He returns to a sartorial tradition only to live it on his own terms – pairing formal and informal as he likes. This is a contemporary gentleman with a romantic soul.”

As I watched the show via YouTube (see video below), the following thoughts popped in mind as the clothes made their debut on the ramp:

• Cropped pants - just maybe above ankle point - showing off the shoes and possibly sock details
• Meaty lapels - Gucci's sexy men usually have very little lapel to flirt with
• Day suits or 'Work' suits are really casual and incorporate traditional English fabrics and prints/patterns - look allows for day into night moments
• Trouser pants legs have a cupped hem, which makes for a nice change from the usual invisible hem - that look where the pants just seem to end - this comes back to old-school traditional menswear and formalities
• Shoes - thick sole + dark leather + big buckle + high-top cut - kind of like a rock'n'roll influence
• This show feels like I'm watching a group of Burberry guys who just went shopping at Gucci
• Bags are oversized
• Man bags are undersized and skinny with a silver chain detail
• So jackets/coats look too big for the models and pleats have been used to create shape in all that volume
• I'm liking this military inspiration - done before but I'm still liking
• Knitwear - thick format knits, warm colours, luxurious materials - this all makes for an extremely indulgent AW experience
• I like this print-with-solid matchmaking happening with the evening-wear

Generally the collection was Gucci sexy - all the way. It has gone a lot more slim lined and refined and taking in quite a bit of British heritage. It's an incredibly clean collection which still incites a level of wildness from the man inside the suit.

Here are some highlights and the full fashion show...