Soft in all its splendor

Milan — I am not Tom Ford. That was the message when Frida Giannini presented her first full collection for Gucci this week, as the second designer to try her hand leading the mega-brand since the inimitable Ford left in 2003. Even the show venue at the Diana Majestic Hotel had been transformed. Instead of Ford's love nest, with plush black banquettes and shag carpets, the space looked more like a woman's wardrobe with wood paneling, shiny gold benches and mirrored walls.

Giannini, 32, joined Gucci as the handbag designer in 2002 and was appointed creative director of all accessories in 2004. She made her mark last spring reinterpreting the vintage "Flora" scarf pattern, a delicate wildflower print, on bags and shoes that were a retail hit. Following poor reviews of Alessandra Facchinetti's complicated collections, in March Giannini was given women's ready-to-wear to design as well.

She said the night before the show that she wanted to bring joy back to the label, appealing to the kind of woman who is unaware of her own sex appeal. The first looks that came out were tomboyish -- rock 'n' roll suits that were more Avril Lavigne than Ford devotee Rita Wilson. Short, shaped jackets with pinched shoulders were layered over pink-and-black rugby shirts and skinny pinstriped trousers, cropped to reveal pointy Beatle boots with horse-bit details.

The second act was a complete turnabout -- cutesy dresses in lighthearted floral prints, sliced open in front with butterfly sleeves and ruffled hems that ended mid-thigh. Blouses came in the same shape, worn with black satin Bermuda shorts and suede platform shoes. And the silhouette was repeated yet again on long and lean jewel-tone gowns with a 1940s feel, some so modest they even had sleeves. The inspiration? A photograph of the designer's grandmother after World War II. "They couldn't eat, but they had the perfect hair and clothes, which made them joyful," Giannini said.

The collection was a major departure, and there were some fine ideas here. But as a whole, it lacked the gravitas to feed the image of such a powerful house. It was also striking how young the clothes looked, an interesting tactic for a brand that, for the last decade, has been associated with strong, self-assured, mature women. It could be just the thing to draw in starlets and new customers. Or not. It's only Giannini's first collection, and she is bound to develop more confidence. But one thing's for sure, she's not afraid to speak for herself. Only right now, it's still unclear exactly what the new Gucci is trying to say.