Unless you’re fortunate enough to have your own wax figure in Madame Tussauds, it’s unlikely you’ll ever look at an exact replica model of yourself. Surprisingly, this was the case for two of Gucci’s models, who took to the runway with copies of their own decapitated heads in tow – perfect for the show’s venue, that looked like an operating theatre.
Of course, the preparation process leading up to the show was a lengthy one. A skilled team of visual effects artists from production company Makinarium worked over the course of several months to help actualise creative director Alessandro Michele’s vision. Using a variety of techniques, the team painstakingly matched everything from the models’ hair to eye colour and shape in synthetic material alternatives to ensure the clones bore as close a likeness as possible to the real thing.
The show itself was titled ‘Cyborg’, and though Gucci has forayed into alien-like affairs before – remember its AW17 campaign? – this extraterrestrial runway debut was sans-green screen, bringing the surreal to reality. If the heads weren’t already enough to blow your mind, Makinarium was also behind the fake chameleon, snake and baby dragon that were coddled by models as they walked the show space.
While we have no idea where Michele’s vision will take us next, we will be trying to wrap our heads (sorry, not sorry) around how he pulled this stunt off until the next show.