“Flowers in Concrete” is what Giuliano Calza called the collection of concrete, resilient characters who defy haters and stay a step ahead. They were the inspiration for his spring 2025 GCDS collection, shown inside the Milan Bourse on a runway of fresh grass to a custom soundtrack by Charli XCX, who took 15 years to grow from Myspace singer to election-influencing Brat pop star.
“This is the energy of my generation,” Calza said backstage. “Basically, you get rejected over and over and over…but if you stand up for your colors at the end, you’re gonna make it.”
The vibe was mindful in that it nodded to nature with the smell of fresh-cut grass and natural wines on offer. But it was also like a sweaty rave, he said, where everybody has a personality of their own, wearing flashy colors, including plenty of Brat green.
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The hero piece was a V-shaped bodysuit, done in mesh, tulle, barely there sheer like a bathing suit and sparkling like eveningwear — on both men and women.
Textures ranged from sheer to hairy, and those skimpy bodysuits were paired with demure bubble minis, and raw edged bomber jackets with beautifully draped skirts. Sheer tights or knee highs added a quirky touch to the dressed up looks, which were balanced with plenty of sexy-sheer lingerie pieces, plus versatile windbreakers, track pants and leather bomber jackets.
“This is the vibe,” he laughed, “always a soft rave…but let’s give it a demure touch.”
Calza also amped up accessories with more polished offerings, too, including the Call Me Comma bag in tortoise acetate, and fuzzy kitten heels.
He reprised the sheer GCDS bodysuit made famous by Doja Cat this summer, but put it on a male model, as suggested by his stylist Carine Roitfeld, he said backstage. And he leaned into the leather-in-summer look, as seen on Angelina Jolie, when she brought fall fashion to the sweaty Venice Film Festival in August.
Calza clearly has his finger on the pulse of pop culture, but also doesn’t forget his own — and the kids who helped propel his brand to where it is now.
“I think I live in the best of both worlds,” the designer said.
