Shocking green carpet with a huge red snake – that was the first thing Gucci’s guests saw, minutes before the spring-summer 2017 show started. But they didn’t have a long break from Gucci extravaganza, though. Just a few weeks after the spectacular anglomania splendour in London, Alessandro Michele, brand’s creative director, presented a show for men which was into this season’s motif, so travelling. Like Prada, Michele challenged himself to make his collection not a literal rip-off of oriental kimonos, but something more eclectic and meaningful. In fact, his “travel” is something totally different. “I hate to travel,” he said backstage, confusing everyone. Still, he loves travelling from aesthetics to aesthetic, mentally, not physically. “You can travel in different ways,” mused Michele. “With a book, you can travel. If I change the tapestry of my chair, I sit and I travel.” To an extend, it’s true – with a whole lot of tapestry, embroidery and embellishment, his menswear collection was a diversified version of a voyager’s wardrobe. Leather bombers with colourful dragon heads, rich, velvet coats, satin kimono jacket, Asian patterns featuring Donald Duck – like a treasure chest of cheesy souvenirs from around the world. Essentials, like biker jackets or turtlenecks, were pimped up with florals and marine stripes, while the classical horse-bit loafers were styled with fish-net tights (nothing surprises me anymore during men’s fashion month, honestly). As eclectic as it could be – that’s Alessandro’s world.