Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2016 Ace Sneaker

 Gucci’s famous tennis shoe, the Ace sneaker, becomes a focus for the upcoming Pre-fall 2016 season through a programme of decoration and embellishment that sees it serving as a canvas for Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s creativity. The basic white version has been adorned with many of the symbols that Michele has introduced to the House, applied as patches or embroideries, both inside and out: bees, hares, fish, stars, and thunderbolts with crystals make an appearance along with the famous House green and red Web stripe. In one case, this stripe is rendered as a see-through panel. On another women’s style, with a nod to Gucci’s daywear, pearls and studs are incorporated.

These decorations serve to mark the sneakers out as collector’s editions. In some cases, there are different decorations on each shoe in a pair, and all styles feature laminated snakeskin on the back of the heel, and the colour of this metallic green or metallic red is often different on left and right shoes.

 As an alternative to the white sneakers, the Ace also comes in striking coloured models. For women these are in laminated snakeskin and shiny nappa silk-leather in bright versions of the House logo design, and there is also an execution in the GG Supreme print. For men there are a number of bright styles featuring different patterns: the bee-print jacquard with the iconic blue and red Web stripe and metallic blue snakeskin trim; a bouquet jacquard with the green and red Web stripe and golden leather trim; a two-flower jacquard in combination with the blue and red Web stripe and metallic red leather trim; and a Baroque-style floral fabric with the green and red Web stripe and metallic red leather trim.

A black version with bees and stars embroidered all over the upper, with metallic green snakeskin trim, and a model with the snake motif (on the blue and red Web stripe), in green leather, complete the men’s offer of boldly patterned Aces.

A further development for men sees the sneaker rendered in the new Gucci Signature leather in black or red, in GG Supreme with metallic blue snakeskin trim, and in plain black leather with the back trim in red leather. These are joined by a silver model with metallic blue snakeskin trim for those who want a classic sneaker with a touch of character, and a black crocodile version for an elegant, ultra-luxurious look. Finally, in the year when the UK is celebrating a thirty-year anniversary of Punk Rock, there is a punk-inspired Ace, featuring studs and spikes that give the silhouette of the shoe a unique look. The style also has a tiger head detail as hardware embellishing the green and red Web stripe on its side.