LOVE STORY

As Gucci celebrates its 100th anniversary, creative director Alessandro Michele resurrects and reimagines some of the Italian luxury house’s most iconic handbags. TAMA LUNG discovers the new Beloved collection

ILOVE TAKING prints, embroidery, appliques – precious things that seem to be from another time – and using them to create a contemporary, new story,” Italian fashion designer Alessandro Michele once said of his often over-the-top aesthetic. The creative director of Gucci since 2015 also loves to take iconic accessories of the past and reimagine them for the present day, if his new Beloved collection is anything to go by.

Featuring the Dionysus, Horsebit 1955, GG Marmont and Jackie 1961 handbags, the Beloved collection has been making a splash in recent months thanks to a range of campaigns and collaborations with the likes of James Corden, Harry Styles, Serena Williams, Diane Keaton, Awkwafina and even #legend, as the first collection featured in our inaugural podcast series, The Stuff of #legend, which can be found on Apple, Spotify, Google and Amazon.

Each Beloved piece connects Gucci’s rich history with contemporary details, imbuing it with the notion of a cherished wardrobe essential to return to season after season. The Dionysus, a version of which was interviewed by #legend editorial director Zaneta Cheng for The Stuff of #legend, and its distinctive tiger-head hardware are an ode to the Greek god of the same name, who in myth is said to have crossed the river Tigris on a tiger sent to him by Zeus. It was one of the first handbags Michele designed for Gucci in 2015, and has been rereleased in a range of sizes, styles and materials, including multicoloured leather and eco-washed organic jacquard with the GG logo.

The Gucci Horsebit 1955, distinguished by a double ring and bar motif that encapsulates the house’s equestrian heritage, likewise comes in a range of totes, bucket bags and shoulder bags. Highlights include a mini top-handle bag in Gucci’s signature low- environmentalimpact GG Supreme canvas, a summer-ready tote bag in yellow straw- effect fabric with tonal leather trim, and a green python shoulder bag with black leather trim and gold-toned hardware.

Defined by the Double G, an archive-inspired styling of the Gucci house initials, the GG Marmont line features soft matelassé leather bags in fresh, vibrant hues. The extensive selection includes totes, shoulder bags, bucket bags, circular shapes and mini designs in colours and materials such as sapphire leather, pink and blue GG canvas, and bright green leather with an emerald green trim.

Finally, the Jackie 1961, known for its curved halfmoon shape and emblematic piston closure, has been reimagined by Michele with a contemporary edge and an array of sizes, colours and materials. Actress Sienna Miller appeared on Corden’s late-night talk fest The Beloved Show toting an updated version in beige/ebony GG Supreme canvas with a green and red web detail, goldtoned hardware and an additional detachable shoulder strap that allows for more versatility when wearing the bag. Other Jackie 1961 styles include shoulder bags in beige or burnt orange python or straw- effect fabric with an embroidered floral motif, and sleek tote bags in smooth black or white leather.

For Michele, the Beloved collection more than lives up to its name. “I truly love and adore my handbags,” he says. “Perhaps they will always be my greatest love, my favourite accessory. It was therefore natural for me to call some of the ones I created ‘Beloved’. The name comes from my own personal experience and my love for them.”