Gucci's certainly no stranger to flora and fauna. Creative director Alessandro Michele has amped up the fashion house's visual vocabulary with an eclectic range of animals—both real and fictional—across ready-to-wear, bags, shoes and other accessories. And while Gucci hasn't quite stopped on incorporating those motifs collection after collection, it's taking a break to focus on a tropical fruit: the pineapple.
The aptly named Gucci Pineapple capsule collection introduces a new motif that places the pineapple centrestage. The design recalls that of the classic imagery of a coat of arms with the pineapple sprouting out roses along its sides. And just like a coat of arms, there's definitely some form of symbolism that Gucci may be getting at. Two thorn-riddled organisms merging as one? Seems anything but mere aesthetics.
Pineapples typically symbolise wealth and good fortune in Chinese culture. In early 15th century Europe, it's said that pineapples became a symbol of wealth since they had to be imported into the continent, and only the rich could afford to do so. Roses on the other hand—particularly red roses—have had a longstanding connotation of love and passion. Combining these two together into one motif seems to allude to only the best things in life—pretty much how any one of us would want to start spring.
What's for certain is the fact that the Gucci Pineapple collection is somewhat of a throwback to the house's more sartorial beginnings. The ready-to-wear portion heavily features menswear classics the likes of gingham blazers, crew-neck jumpers, corduroy trousers as well as a single-breasted gabardine coat fitted with gold buttons.
It's not entirely preppy though. You'd easily find an assortment of streetwear-leaning options in the form of leather bombers, a selection of denim separates, tracksuits, as well as some of Gucci's signature sneaker silhouettes. The chunky Rhyton is completely decorated with an amalgamation of the GG supreme canvas with the pineapple motif in a bright yellow. The same combination is applied across the collection's array of bags and accessories too, punctuated by "what's inside" in bold, block letters—a clever double entendre for what you're toting around and perhaps what's behind the thorny exterior of the Gucci Pineapple.
The Gucci Pineapple capsule collection will be available in boutiques and online in March.
