Favourite Outfits From 'House of Gucci' and How They Drive the Narrative

Director Ridley Scott's latest cinematic offering is the fashion spectacular 'House of Gucci'. It is the story of the murder of Maurizio Gucci in the 1990s by his wife, Patrizia Reggiani, a woman from humble beginnings who marries into the famous Gucci family. The movie takes the angle of her unbridled ambition which begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge -- and ultimately mariticide. As this is the story of the family Gucci, it's no surprise that the film is a fashion catwalk from beginning to end awash with 80s and 90s Italian style - from the outright gaudy to the classic. Costume Designer, Janty Yates, had unprecedented access to the Gucci archives, but the movie is much more than a Gucci showcase. Pieces from Valentino, YSL, Ungaro, Alaia, Cesare Attolini, Lady Gaga's (who plays the scheming Reggiani) own pieces as well as her own designs all weave their way into the movies narrative, defining key moments and speaking volumes where words do not suffice. Here I pick some of my favourite outfits from the movie.

Maurizio Gucci in a polo-neck and blazer

Unfortunate protagonist and heir to the Gucci throne Maurizio Gucci is the straight man of the movie, and the fashion antagonist to his wife's often gaudy wardrobe. When romancing working class girl Patrizia at the beginning of the movie, posh-boy Maurizio, takes his future wife on a boat ride, wearing a totally unsuitable for the occasion, but very classy, polo neck and blazer. It might be a look that in recent years has been hijacked by the Only Way Is Essex boys - who love the polo-neck's unforgiving nature and stretch, in order to show off their 3 x a day gym workouts, but it's a look that's been going strong since the 60s. Maurizio's version of the combo is a bulkier version of the sweater in cream, and he wears it with a classic navy jacket with gold buttons.

Patrizia Gucci nee Reggiani at Aldo's ranch

On marrying into the Gucci family, Patricia is invited to uncle Aldo's ranch to meet the family's prized cows which are turned into the leather goods that make the Gucci clan's fortune. In a perfect example in how to dress for the occasion, Patricia opts for a beautiful sky blue shirt dress with full skirt and laser cut, scalloped hem. The gorgeous dress is cinched in at the waist with a tan leather belt and she accessorises with cowgirl style boots and a matching bag. Her up-do and make-up are pure Sophia Loren. This is probably my favourite outfit in the movie for it's simplicity and the beautiful shape of the dress. Gorgeous.

Paolo Gucci in his bird kimono

Comedic relief is provided by the flamboyant nephew, Paolo Gucci, whose bombast and grand plans to become a world renowned fashion designer are unfortunately not matched by the Gucci talent. Duped by the scheming Patricia and his cousin Maurizio who has fallen under Patrizia's spell, Paolo plots with Maurizio in a phone conversation to reveal his father's tax fraud in order to force his father to finally take him seriously. 'I could finally soar' Paolo exudes, 'like a pigeon'. The next scene cuts to Paolo tending his pigeons on the roof in the most beautiful orange and cream silk kimono with bird pattern. We then see Paolo on the phone to his father, decrying his need for freedom and how he will no longer be held back - all the while wearing his kimono with the flying birds.

Aldo Gucci in his squash whites

When Aldo is arrested at the gym whilst playing squash, he is of course, not in one of his power suits, but an all white gym outfit. The crisp white Lacoste polo shirt with matching white sweatbands for the wrist and head and his eye goggles, have something of the Richie Tenenbaum about them. Aldo is all in white as he is the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. As he is marched out of the gym by the FBI, it is they, not he who are in the power suits he normally favours. He does however, wear the coolest retro velour Fila zip up tracksuit top in red/navy. If you're going to have a very public arrest, make sure you're dressed your best for those pap snaps.

Maurizio Gucci in predatorial black Lacoste

After Aldo's arrest, we cut to the guilty duo -  Paolo and Maurizio who have just thrown their father\Uncle in prison. Maurizio, the instigator of the betrayal, is wearing a black version of his Uncle's white Lacoste polo shirt, reminding us who is predator and prey, although Maurizio wears his black polo shirt with classic chinos indicating he is still a geek at heart. Would he have made such machinations against his Uncle without Patrizia whispering in his ear? The suggestion is no. He is still the clean cut lawyer underneath it all, but the black to Aldo's white suggests he has, albeit temporarily, been turned over to the dark side.

Paolo Gucci, the deluded clown

When Paolo staggers down the Gucci runway, aghast at his father's sentencing, his outfit is a mish-mash of fantastical colours and patterns. He wears a black and green suit with a pink shirt and beige pattern tie and tops it all off with an orange flower in his lapel. It's a masterclass in clashing colours - a ridiculous outfits that somehow works. There is no way Paolo would have plotted against his father were he not persuaded by Maurizio, who in turn was convinced by Patrizia. The suggestion is Paolo, the clown, in his ridiculous outfits, is just not bright enough to plot against his own family to get what he wants, nor is he hateful enough. It slowly becomes clear, that the Gucci family are collapsing from within, and all roads lead back to Patrizia.  

Patrizia hits the ski slopes in prophetic blood-red

When Patrizia, Maurizio and Maurizio's soon to be lover (Paola Franchi) all meet up on the ski slopes as the strained couple holiday with Maurizio's upper class friends, the ski outfits the two female adversaries are wearing are an indicator of the power play going on on the slopes.

The top-to-toe blood-red outfit Patrizia wears, is not only a power move on her part, but also an indicator of the bloodshed to come. From the animal pelt hat on her head, to the brilliant red skintight jumpsuit she wears, Patrizia looks like she is wearing raw meat (Gaga's meat dress?) - this is not a woman to be messed with, and she gives this warning to Paola literally through her words, and figuratively through her chosen clothes.When we compare Patrizia's OTT ensemble, from her gaudy jewels to the red of the ski-suit and the fur, on her head, and contrast it with the snow white outfit, simple jewels and make up free face, of Maurizio's mistress, the opposing outfits speak volumes. Not only is Paula no match to the dangerous 'woman in red - she is - in her sacrificial white - another lamb to the slaughter, or at the very least, another hapless victim Patrizia will not allow to get in her way.

Paolo's decline

After realising he is responsible for his father's jailing 'It wasn't meant to go this far!', we next see the tragic Paolo Gucci as his father is released from jail, no longer living a life of luxury, but instead in a small flat, cluttered with dirty dishes and Paolo clearly in a state of mental decline. No longer dressing in the gaudy but expensive suits he has designed for himself (in fact all of Jared Leto's suits bar one in the movie were the work of famed Neapolitan tailors Cesare Attolini) but instead we see him bedecked in gaudy shell suits. Again, the clothes in the movie are indicators of a character's mental state. Here, the choice of outfit indicate Paolo's life, wealth and mental stability have all taken a massive downturn. When father and son finally reunite and reconcile, father Aldo, hugs his son and tells him 'You are an idiot, but you are my idiot.' Poor Paolo is the family fool. And his clown clothes reflect this.   

The lover

When Maurizio's new lover, Paola, is at his swanky new apartment it is now the 90s and Patrizia, along with her gaudy 80s outfits and tacky grandiosity are clearly a thing of the past. Paola is presented to us as a 90s  It-girl - uptown to Patrizia's downtown. Her style is all clean lines, understated (but still expensive) jewellery, tasteful make up and hair. Her slinky black dresses and blond blow out contrast sharply with Patrizia's dark bouffant and heavy 80s aesthetic. Even her make up is in stark contrast to Patrizia's - there is no kohl or sexy winged liner and Dynasty red lips. Paola is all about the no-make-up make up look. 

Paola's look in the movie is reminiscent of another tragic 90s female figure -  Jacqueline Bessette-Kennedy, who worked at and was muse to Calvin Klein and whose understated elegance inspired a legion of fans who coveted her and what they presumed was her privileged lifestyle. 

The couch

A special mention goes out to the red lips love seat. The couch that Maurizio jokes 'cost more than most people's apartment in Monte Carlo' and that Paola ought to be 'a little scared' of - shows a new side to Maurizio. He is no longer inexperienced and afraid of women as he was when he first met Patrizia at the beginning of the film - he is no longer the frightened wallflower. In fact, perhaps Patrizia has left a little bit of a mark on her ex-husband. No longer afraid of, or intimidated by his wealth or name as he was at the beginning of the film, here we see a more confident Maurizio. He is unafraid to spend his money (partly gained let's not forget, through the duplicity and help of Patrizia).  

Patrizia plots mariticide

While Maurizio and his new lover are spending the 90s living like minor royalty in their swanky upmarket apartment, we see Patrizia, in full-on revenge mode, knocking around on the wrong side of town. Maurizio may be ridiculously wealthy and may have got his hands a little dirty to get where he is, but the suggestion is that he is no Patrizia. When we next see Patrizia, she is with her gypsy friend and psychic, (played by Salma Hayek). They are both kitted out in skintight jeans and high heeled boots. Patricia wears a tough biker jacket and hasn't seemed to have adapted to the new decade and it's less ostentatious aesthetic. Her hair and make up still scream 80s and her outfit errs on the trashy side. This is the outfit she wears to negotiate with the hitmen she hires to murder her ex husband. Patrizia is a tough cookie from a poor background - certainly not afraid of the hitmen. She is a woman who  has clawed and fought her way up the social ladder and isn't willing to let go of what she has achieved without a fight. Even a Gucci with newly found confidence and years of generational wealth behind him is no match for the Patrizia's of the world. 

Conclusion

My ultimate view of the movie? The fashions are great, but ultimately, it's a two-dimensional, misogynistic and hackneyed portrayal of a woman who sees herself as having lost everything she has worked for. The 'crazy ex wife kills her husband and manages to single-handedly bring down the men of the Gucci clan, but ultimately destroys herself' reminds us of that other 80s 'crazy jealous woman trope  - Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. It's a shame we never saw more from Patrizia's character than that of an unhinged gold-digger. Maybe there isn't more to her character? But one can't help but feel a little dissatisfied at Hollywood somehow blaming a woman for every man in an entire clan's downfall, and yet still not managing to flesh her out as a fully-fledged, rounded human being. Who was Patrizia Reggiani? You won't find out from watching 'House of Gucci'.

Clothes 8/10

Movie 5/10

The Best Looks From Ridley Scott's 'House of Gucci'.

 The real standout stars of Ridley Scott's new high fashion epic, House of Gucci, are - somewhat unsurprisingly - the clothes. The fashion world has been chomping at the (Gucci horse) bit to check out Lady Gaga and Adam Driver's wardrobe, and they do not disappoint. Highlights include Gaga's multiple turns in cleavage-baring Saint Laurent skirt suits to Driver's cable-knit apres ski jumper that broke the internet when it was released to the world in a promo shot. Even side characters have caused a stir - Jared Leto's elephant cord Norfolk two pieces in candied shades of magenta and cobalt was an instant hit with lovers of vintage and loud. The woman behind the magic is celebrated costume designer Janty Yates, of Gladiator, American Gangster, and The Martian fame. Here I narrow down my favourite looks from the movie to my top 12 - no mean feat considering Lady Gaga alone had approximately 65 costume changes - and both she and her on screen husband insisted on 'no repeats.' In no particular order:

1| Paolo Gucci's Blue Check Suit

Yates told GQ magazine “We had the Atollini Brothers make something like 12 suits and jackets for Jared Leto, who plays Paolo Gucci in the film. They were all very, in their words ‘dandy dandy’. The Atollini Brothers made all the suits for Paolo Sorrentino's 2013 film The Great Beauty, which is one of the most wonderfully tailored films I’ve ever seen. The problem was, we had to wait for the suits, because the brothers handmake everything in Naples, so I asked Costume del Arte to make a couple in the interim, which Jared could wear early on. I asked them for a pink elephant cord Norfolk jacket, which he ended up wearing quite prominently! So it's actually a suit of my design, I'm afraid to say!”

“We went very over the top with Jared's wardrobe. His character Paolo was one of the worst dressed men I’d ever googled, he’d wear silver lurex shirts under his tuxedo! The looks are really appalling, the Atollini Crothers told me that he is ‘the dandy’s dandy’, so we went for horizontal stripes, stripes, big blooming ties, and massive checks. The blue check suit when he gives his fashion show is a good example of how over-the-top we went.”

2) Black and White, Patrizia and Maurzio Hit the Slopes

“This was the first photo released from our shoot, and the response was extraordinary.  The Arran sweater has its own website and Instagram! People dressed up like this photo for Halloween! It’s quite amazing. We had 10 different sweaters, and we tried them all on Adam Driver, who plays Maurizo Gucci. This particular one fit him best. We never intended to have it on show that much, but when he was entertaining friends, Ridley liked the idea of the suit being wrapped around his waist and the jumper being visible. 

"Ridley said he also wanted both Maurizio and Paola Franchi (the woman Maurizio eventually leaves Patrizia for) to be wearing white when they run into each other on the slopes. The idea was that they would see each other and say ‘oh you’re wearing white too!’ - kind of like an ice breaker.  Then Patrizia comes bowling along in red. it just makes me laugh the way she walk in her boots, she’s just fabulous, very funny. Lady Gaga, who plays Patrizia, is also wearing a black Gucci jacket with gold buttons in this picture.”

Here, Gaga is pictured in an iconic all-black look, which isn't too far off from fashion's contemporary style. However, the ridiculous amount of jewels and fur Cossack mink hat show Patrizia wasn't on the slopes to ski. The all black further suggests Gaga's character was perhaps already thinking evil thoughts.

3)  Patrizia's Jewellery is a Character of It's Own. 

Even before she marries into the upper echelons of Italian society, she pairs almost every single outfit with over-the-top earrings and a statement necklace. Given that her family isn’t rich, we can assume that the first few times we see her all glammed up she is wearing cheap costume jewelry—but once she’s got Gucci’s family money in her pockets, it’s safe to say the gem-encrusted chokers, diamond earrings and gold chains are all real. Or, at the very least, really expensive.

One could argue her maximalist accessorising was simply the norm for women of the era, but it appears  that Patrizia wore her jewelelry as armour. “She [Patrizia] wore a huge amount of jewellery and LG was up for that. She'd always put on two necklaces when one wasn't enough, she'd wear four bangles, and the biggest earrings she could find,” In fact, I only remember seeing her without earrings in two scenes in the film: When she briefly mourns Maurizio’s death alone, she is without her earrings. When she is back in her element just a scene later, reclaiming her home and kicking out his lover, the earrings are back on.

The second and final time we see her with no earrings, Patrizia is at her court hearing, where she receives a 26-year prison sentence. In this scene, she is not in control, and her lack of accessories illustrates as much. Had she shown up to court with her biggest pearls or glitziest studs on, one might’ve thought she’d get away with her crime.

4) Patrizia's Blue Sequin Halterneck She Wears to Go Dancing at Studio 54

One of my favourite looks didn't make it to the actual final cut, but I'm going to mention it anyway. Patrizia piled on the accessories and sequins to go dancing with Al Pacino's 'Aldo' character at Studio 54. Known as an iconic Manhattan hotspot where only the best-dressed could get in, Patrizia held her own with the city slickers courtesy of a sequined turquoise halter number and a ton of Bulgari gold necklaces, chunky bracelets, dangling earrings and glitzy make up to match. It's in the trailer, but alas cut from the film. Perhaps Ridley Scott will do a director's cut and we can see it in all its glory.

5) In Red as Elizabeth Taylor at a Costume Party

Can it get more meta than Lady Gaga in costume as Patrizia Reggiani, in costume as Elizabeth Taylor? This red dress was seriously va va room, and all the better when accessorised with Patrizia’s diamond and gem-encrusted necklace and matching earrings. The black gloves really set off the look  - and were part of Patrizia's original ensemble. When she approached Maurizio, he was bowled over. The dress was inspired by a late 70s Yves Saint Laurent piece that Reggiani wore to another party. The actual dress was bubblegum pink, which Yates switched to a blood red, hinting at what was to come and yet again using colour as a storytelling device.

6) In Her Wedding Gown

Patrizia Gucci’s 1973 wedding gown was quite a bit more modest than then iteration Gaga wears in the film. Throughout the movie, both Reggiani's and Gucci’s outfits have been nearly identical to the ones donned by the couple in the ’80s and ’90s. But on their wedding day, that pattern changes. For her original wedding dress, Reggiani opted for a more conservative, less-decorated gown, comprised of a high-neck, a low hem, and a tapered waist. Whereas here, Gaga can still be seen wearing a white lace dress with a high-low hem and a sweetheart neckline. Conversely, Driver remained consistent with Mr. Gucci’s original getup, wearing a pair of pinstripe trousers and a tailcoat blazer for a dapper look.

Still, the slightly more dramatic take did some storytelling for the viewers, in that it showcased just how far Patrizia was from fitting in with the Guccis in terms of taste.

7) In White Lace at a Birthday Party

Patrizia is from a family of modest means far outside the Gucci sphere, so her ensemble at Aldo Gucci's (portrayed by Al Pacino) Lake Como birthday party is striving for their approval. The “gorgeous fitting” white lace dress and bolero are based on an iconic image of Lollobrigida and it was kismet when Yates’ buyer “happened to find more or less the exact lace” of the original La Lollo look. 

According to Yates, Lady Gaga drew inspiration from even closer to home, suggesting she wanted to dress like her mother. 'It was wonderful because, obviously, her mother didn't wear [wacky] dresses, and her mother is 100 percent Italian.”

Patrizia chooses demure white to meet the family in a clear bid to impress them but also to show her intentions are pure. She's presenting herself as a good Italian girl - the perfect wife and hinting at the wedding to come. 

A famous '50s image of La Lollo also directly inspired the white lace strapless dress and bolero set (above) that Patrizia wears to uncle Aldo's 70th birthday party at his Lake Como house — "a '60s sort of mood, but in a late '70s design," says Yates about her interpretation of Lollobrigida's ensemble. Costume cutter Dominic Young built the look and painstakingly hand-applied each piece of lace to complete the near-3D design that jumps off the screen.

Part 2 Next week