House of Gaga: The iconic costuming of Lady Gaga’s Patrizia Gucci

After months of anticipation, Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci was released on 26th November. Detailing the fluctuating rise and fall of the Gucci dynasty, the film reveals the years of family conflict leading up to the assassination of Maurizio Gucci in 1995. The film takes most of its perspective from Lady Gaga’s character, who is Maurizio’s ex-wife Patrizia; and, of course, the film’s costuming does not disappoint.

When Patrizia meets Maurizio in a nightclub, she wears satin amongst a sea of sequined outfits. The dress is a red halter-neck, a colour and style we often see her wear throughout the film. However, the choice of satin serves an important purpose for the character. Compared to the array of sequin, Patrizia stands out, showing she does not belong. In a deleted scene in Studio 54, once the Guccis have moved to New York, Patrizia wears a blue sequinned halter-neck dress. It is a shame this scene was cut because these dresses together show her rise in class throughout the film.

In Lady Gaga’s Vogue interview, it’s highlighted how Patrizia was introduced to wealth after her mother and step-father’s marriage, and how her mother encouraged her to pursue Maurizio. After the nightclub scene, Patrizia dons a Burberry check trench coat whilst she follows Maurizio, determined to spark a relationship with him. It’s interesting to see how the film does not stray from using other designers too. Burberry carries an image of reality and so does Patrizia as she feigns this to impress Maurizio. With this in mind, the choice of not just a Burberry trench coat, but a trench coat with the distinctive plaid, shows how the film utilises the connotations of designers to convey a wider meaning.

The wedding dress could have been an article all on its own; costume designer Janty Yates explained to Dazed Magazine how they had made two dresses, and the final dress was only decided on, the day they filmed. The first was a replica of Patrizia’s own dress, and the second was more over-the-top, with extravagant lace detailing. Eventually, the second dress was chosen, and the motifs of the dress lasted even after the wedding day. When meeting the rest of the Guccis, Patrizia wears a white lace dress with a matching coverall, an outfit reminiscent of her wedding dress. Gaga’s desire to portray Patrizia’s ambitiousness is reflected here. Patrizia plays the part of the new bride, wearing an outfit that reminds the Guccis' she is now one of them.

There are only two instances in which Patrizia wears the iconic Gucci monogram. During the final days of her marriage, she wears a monogrammed two-piece whilst discovering the world of counterfeit Gucci. Then, she wears another two-piece when she is delivered her divorce papers. Both of these moments occur when Patrizia is fighting for her role within the family. She knows she is an outsider and uses her husband’s branding to reinforce her power.

A notable mention, of course, goes to the suits the men wear in the film, particularly Adam Driver’s Maurizio Gucci. Gucci has always been known for its tailoring, and when Tom Ford became part of Gucci, this was only elevated.

Lady Gaga herself didn’t want to focus on the crime that Patrizia committed but instead wanted to look at the woman’s drive for social power. This is all shown throughout her wardrobe: the good, the bad, and the ugly of Patrizia Gucci.

Edited By Miette Dsouza