At the 2022 Met Gala, Creative Director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, walked the red carpet alongside his Hollywood doppelganger, Jared Leto. The pair were styled identically to one another, wearing matching Gucci suits.
Ironically, Gucci presented its new Spring Summer 2023 collection, Twinsburg, on Friday, September 23, 2022 at Milan Fashion Week. The show kicked off with models walking down the runway shortly after revealing their “identical twin."
Gucci pulled off SS23's most ambitious casting stunt featuring 68 sets of twins, who were casted at the annual Twins Day Festival, held in Twinsburg, Ohio -- a town founded in 1819 by 2 twin brothers.
‘Twinsburg’ draws inspiration from Alessandro Michele’s mother, who was a twin. Alessandro examines the "cracked symmetry" between the symbolism of twinship - though their appearances are the same, their identity could be entirely different. Following the show's debut, Gucci shared show notes stating that, “The same clothes emanate different qualities on seemingly identical bodies.”
Staying true to the collection’s theme, each print-mix, color, and accessory was duplicated – the models walked down the runway hand-in-hand. Gucci showcased dresses, blouses, and overcoats in perfect symmetry, creating a harmony among each garment on identical wearers. The collection explores different fabrics and cuts with pattern references to the animal kingdom, vibrant floral prints, cowboy boots, and more; it is believed to resemble the significance of biology and the creation of twins.
Alessandro creates a narrative about the influence of fashion and how it shapes the individuality of duality. Twinsburg exudes imagery of duplicated looks and tension between the original and copy. Every look was magically mirrored, yet disparities between them were still recognized. This emotional and powerful tribute to Alesandro's mother and her twin sister highlights the dichotomy of twinship and the connection amongst the fashion community. In the midst of one's desire to be completely unique, there is comfort in coordinating and connecting with shared interests of others.
Watch the show here.
