Gucci: Confidence to spare

The Gucci woman is one tough babe. The white dress that opened the show may have looked innocent enough -- figure-hugging with striking white cutouts at the waist and neckline. But little did we know what Frida Giannini was about to unleash.

Out came a woman ready for action in techno sport leggings with Velcro ankle tabs, anoraks or blazers with cinch pulleys, laced cords, mesh inserts and utility pockets, and pencil skirts with the classic horse bit reinterpreted as a cord belt. I half expected the models to pull out throwing stars, or pluck one of the silver metal embroideries from the cage-like jeweled harnesses on their sexy silk jersey evening gowns, and use them as  weapons.

It was a clear vision of a confident woman, even if the details felt a little overdone at times. Giannini set out to explore the dual forces of modern athleticism and traditional craft, which might have been too much to chew on. The group of Ikat print dresses, for example, was a bit jarring. Indeed, Giannini could probably have  squeezed two collections out of all the things she tried to include in this one.

Still, this collection was a confident step forward. And if they ever decide to make a film with a female version of James Bond, they will know who to call.

-- Booth Moore

Photo: A look from Gucci's Spring/Summer 2010 women's ready-to-wear runway collection on Saturday during Milan Fashion Week. Credit: Peter Stigter and Jonas Gustavsson / For The Times

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Photos: Gucci spring-summer 2010 runway

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Come sale away: 20% off everything at Decadestwo -- one day only

We just got word from the folks over at designer consignment shop Decadestwo that their annual sale is taking place on Saturday. They tell us it's going to be 20% off everything in the store -- and name-dropped the likes of Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloé, Gucci and Manolo.

The store usually doesn't open until 11:30 a.m., but for the sale the doors will fling wide open at 10 a.m. You've been duly warned: You snooze, no shoes.

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Decadestwo 20% off sale, Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 8214 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 655-1960.

Photo: Decadestwo co-owners Christos Garkinos, left, and Cameron Silver in a 2007 file photo. Credit: Christina House / For The Times

MFW: Gucci: Bebe with a bigger budget?

MILAN -- To her credit, Frida Giannini started doing the whole rock star thing long before everyone else climbed on the bandwagon this season. The problem is that she's never been able to elevate the look to the realm of luxury. So Gucci continues to look like Bebe with a bigger budget.

This season was the same song, different verse, starting with unremarkable crepe de chine kimono-sleeve minidresses in oversized polka dots or diagonal stripes, sliding off the shoulders and worn with leggings or over-the-knee leather boots.

Fur jackets, some sprayed with color or crystal embroidered, sparkly hoodies and jogging pants, and iridescent bags that looked as if gasoline had been poured on them, completed the somewhat trashy picture.

Giannini's suits are always her most compelling pieces, with skinny pants and shrunken jackets. The season's best came in microcheck jacquard or gleaming black, layered over Lurex striped shirts.

And while there was nothing terribly wrong with the crystal-studded, animal spot and flower-embroidered micro minidresses inspired by Tina Chow's wilder days, women who want to look like walking disco balls are probably too young to afford these clothes.

Besides, clubwear is the kind of thing you want to be disposable so you can dance, drink, and leave it in a ball on your bedroom floor at the end of the night. Which means you might as well buy Bebe.

-- Booth Moore

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Photo: A look from Gucci's Fall 2009 runway collectioon shown in Milan on Sunday. Credit: AP Photo/Antonio Calanni.

Is Gucci the new Ed Hardy? Oh dear.

I can't be the only one who sees a frightening resemblance between the Gucci Heart Tattoo collection's "Love Gucci" change purse ($235; 25% of sales benefit Unicef) and the Ed Hardy "True Love" Anna satchel, ($177.99).

Is it possible that Gucci designer Frida Giannini and Ed Hardy maestro Christian Audigier have more in common than a love for retro tattoo art -- which is now as annoyingly ubiquitous as oxygen? I don't like this one bit.

-- Monica Corcoran

photos: edhardyshop.com; gucci.com.

 

Google hits the tents at Bryant Park (sort of)

It's a follow-up to the handful of designer templates we told you about in May, which iGoogle’s product marketing manager Michaela Prescott said had been installed on "hundreds of thousands" of iGoogle home pages since.

Just in time for the first show of the day at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Google took the wraps off its latest collection of homepage themes including a dozen and a half by fashion brands including Burberry, Gucci, Michael Kors, Stella McCartney, Jimmy Choo and Rock & Republic.

"The most popular ones to date have been Dolce & Gabbana and Marc Ecko," she told us earlier today, "And Coldplay." (In addition to fashion, the collection also includes musician-themed pages by Radiohead, Gnarls Barkley and Faith Hill.)

It’s a win-win for both sides; the Silicon Valley company gets to gussy up its goods with the desktop equivalent of designer duds, and the fashion brands get to try their hand at designing a few of the road signs on the busiest lane of the information superhighway.

Among our favorites in the new crop of page toppers are Paul Frank Industries’ brightly colored Julius the monkey and his cartoon pals, and the polka dots, jellyfish of Kate Spade.

And if Google’s taking suggestions for next season, how about partnering with venerable clothier Brooks Brothers? With the continuing surge in preppie revival in men’s wear, what could be possibly be more popular than a navy blue homepage –- with clickable brass buttons?

— Adam Tschorn

Photos: IGoogle artists themes by designer Michael Kors, top, and Vivienne Tam. Bottom, iGoogle's display in the Bryant Park tents during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Credits: Google.com for top two images; Adam Tschorn, bottom.