<span>When </span><span>Gucci showed its cruise 2020 collection earlier this year, </span><span>its chosen</span><span> venue</span><span> was </span><span>the</span><span> </span><span>Musei Capitolini in Rome,</span><span> </span><span>highlighting</span><span> </span><span>the brand's preference</span><span> </span><span>for</span><span> showing</span><span> </span><span>high fashion against rich history. </span><span>And t</span><span>here were plenty of</span><span> </span><span>surprises in store. Rather than using conventional lighting, the </span><span>fashion </span><span>house chose to illuminate the runway using only torches, lending a curious </span><span><em>Night at</em></span><span><em> </em></span><span><em>the Museum</em></span><span> air of adventure to proceedings.</span><span> </span> <span>Throu</span><span>gh the darkness,</span><span> the crowd caught flashes of colour, dresses covered in sparkles</span><span>, quirky glasses </span><span>and a new must-have accessory – </span><span>the</span><span> guitar case. Forget the "it" bag, Gucci just made it the season of the guitar hard shell.</span> <span>Since cr</span><span>eative </span><span>director</span><span> Alessandro Michele is </span><span>not</span><span> one to forgo his maximalist</span><span> </span><span>tendencies,</span><span> the humble guitar case has been elevated to a high fashion statement. It has been given the complete</span><span> </span><span>Gucci treatment, complete with vintage fabric and an all-over Mickey Mouse print.</span> <span>Made </span><span>from decidedly </span><span>unglamorous</span><span> polyurethane</span><span> (yet another example of Gucci making the mundane desirable)</span><span>,</span><span> this is the latest example of a collaboration with Disney that began in spring/summer 2019. Having already given us a Mickey Mouse head handbag, now Gucci presents the world's most </span><span>recognisable</span><span> mouse emblazoned jauntily across </span><span>its </span><span>signature interlocking double-G motif, </span><span>which was </span><span>made famous in the 1980s. </span><span> </span> <span>The s</span><span>ame show yielded other eye-popping versions</span><span> of the guitar case</span><span> </span><span>–</span><span> </span><span>with </span><span>brightly coloured Gs in hot yellows and pinks,</span><span> or in jet black</span><span> </span><span>with the words "Gucci Band" added in </span><span>appliqué</span><span> leather. True to Michele's vision, this case is both retro and new, and will no doubt sell out as soon as it hits the shelves.</span> <span>This </span><span>is not the first time Gucci has ventured into the world of guitars, however.</span><span> In 2000, </span><span>the fashion house</span><span> commissioned the famed luthier Marc Nichol to create a bespoke guitar, of which only 18 were </span><span>made</span><span>. Twelve were sold through Gucci stores, with the others </span><span>given as gifts</span><span> to </span><span>musicians such as </span><span>Madonna, Elton John, The Edge of U2 (who used it in the video for</span><span> the band's hit song</span><span> </span><span><em>Elevation</em></span><span>) and Sting. In a case of life imitating</span><span> </span><span>art, the Beastie Boys </span><span>had </span><span>sung about a mythical Gucci guitar in the 1989 song</span><span><em> Johnny Ryall</em></span><span>. When it was finally made, it was a seven-string instrument</span><span> </span><span>with Gucci branded on the pickguard, nut and tuning keys, and was originally priced at $25,000 (Dh91,812). In comparison, th</span><span>is</span><span> guitar case </span><span>from the cruise collection </span><span>might </span><span>well </span><span>be deemed a bargain.</span> _____________________ Read more: _____________________
