“Embracing your cartoon side” is a motto that summarizes the approach Giuliano Calza has brought to life at GCDS, which began in 2016. This spring collectsion was a way to reflect on everything he has achieved on the 10th anniversary of his brand, focused on irreverence, pop culture, and ironic sensuality. What’s in My Bag? was the title, as well as a reference to one of the most recognizable internet trends, but the meaning Calza gave to it was both symbolic and literal. A huge GCDS shopping bag—crafted by Italian artisans, as were all the outsize props—emerged from a black curtain, becoming the theatrical entrance for the models. It referred to a “bag of experiences” over the past decade.
Some of the past GCDS prints—like the hentai one first launched in spring 2020—were reworked on lace minidresses with small frills or asymmetrical cocktail frocks. Betty Boop returned on T-shirt prints or as a contrasting patch on the back of a biker jacket; Hello Kitty—now synonymous with the brand—was used on a sheath dress. Another example of what you might find in the GCDS bag was the receipt print used for midi-dresses and pencil skirts, next to fully nostalgic denim pieces such as Capri pants, as a nod to the early ’00s.
A more couture-like side of the collectsion was represented by pannier bodysuits in bright colors counterbalanced with sheer pois-print dresses. This same print was also chosen for sculptural duchesse satin jackets with almost two-dimensional silhouettes. Black leather, sensual lace, and sheer sparkling fabrics closed the show with a glamorous touch, also present in the collectsion through the recurring python-print leather pieces such as blousons, blazers, and wide pants.
