GCDS SS25: Did we had enough with the brat? Giuliano Calza’s answer is a big no

The GCDS Spring-Summer 2025 runway show, held at the Palazzo della Borsa in Milan, reflected Calza’s vision: a world where “it-girls” and pop divas emerge as the true influences of today’s fashion.

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Days before the event, Giuliano anticipated three main pillars of his new collection: an explosion of flowers, an unexpected collaboration with the Renault 5, and the prominence of the color brat green, a clear tribute to Charli XCX, who was in charge of providing the soundtrack to the show, with the song “Everything is Romantic” customized especially for this new GCDS show.

Upon arrival, a vast green lawn, formerly known as acid green, but now renamed brat green – for us highxtar green-, welcomed us. However, the “Concrete Flowers” that Giuliano had promised were not yet in sight. It was at the start of the show that they began to invade the runway. These flowers, according to Calza, represent resilience: the ability to flourish even in the harshest of environments, a perfect symbol of those female pop figures the designer deeply admires.

Satin tulip skirts with unfinished edges and low-cut tops reveal the essence of a wild night on the town, a return home after perhaps an after party, or a rave. Such is the collection: a measured mess, as if the looks had survived the best party of the season. While neons, the usual hello kitty and blacks evoke a party, silk blouses, tailoring and botanical prints balance the collection with a more sophisticated air. In Giuliano’s universe, delicacy and rawness can perfectly coexist.

The return of the ‘Comma’ bag in Mega and Mini sizes, with colorful hanging dice details, adds a touch of fun to the collection, something that can never be missing in Giuliano’s proposals. The ‘kitten’ heels in shades of monster fur or with floral embroidery are a nod to the unexpected and the whimsical, defying the norm of what should be “elegant”, as a good brat does. Because can there be a more childish, whimsical and bratty brand than GCDS?

In essence, GCDS has always been about being a bit of a cad, whimsical, and cocky; the difference is that now it seems to be the current zeitgeist, although we also encounter those who defend the demure. Which side are you on?