What did Loïk Gomez wear that had the Net all abuzz?

The DJ BFRND in what could be the new look of Gucci. Main photo: worldofbfrnd/Instagram. Photo illustration: Just So

It was shared and then it was un-shared. Here one second, gone the next, like a match in the wind. Loïk Gomez, mostly known as BFRND, posted images of himself on Instagram and then he removed them. The photos showed him wearing assorted fashions, but one selfie, in particular, stood out: It featured a belt with the unmistakable, flashy double-G buckle. The DJ, who is Demna Gvasalia’s spouse, appeared to have previewed what the Georgian designer, now at the Florentine house of Gucci, shall be unveiling in September, during Milan Fashion Week. Some media outlets have attributed the looks to Tom Ford-era Gucci, which begs the question: Will Mr Gvasalia be taking Mr Ford’s view on sexiness as a starting point?

Mr Gvasalia and Mr Gomez are considered fashion’s power couple. It was the latter who provided the soundtracks that defined the Balenciaga shows. He knows exactly what his designing life partner does, possibly even thinks. Anything that he posts on his socials is caught in detail like a surveillance camera. Oftentimes he dressed as a Balenciaga muse, even though he was already a Balenciaga model. And in that fleeing post, it was an aesthetic that was different, even if a little dark, as Balenciaga sometimes was under Mr Gvasalia’s watch. More significantly, it was not an oversized anything. The former Balenciaga designer told the German newspaper Zeit in June: “I’m not very interested in oversize at the moment… it’s something I’ve done before.” And two months later, his hubby abandoned oversized.

The post Mr Gomez shared had the longevity of a Snapchat story. The strategic, see-before-it’s-gone nature of this fashion-world moment was a perfect real-life application of the principle behind ephemeral social media content. It was a teaser as a story; it allowed him to control the narrative; it harnessed the marketing power of rumors and strategic ‘leaks’. It was a subtle yet effective signal of a new era, made all the more impactful by its brief and clandestine nature. It was also an endorsement of the output of the one he is married to. But, more importantly, what Loïk Gomez wore wasn’t just a simple fashion choice; it was a very public (albeit brief) signal of the brand’s fresh, even if seemingly nostalgic, direction. Short and sweet might, indeed, be more enduring, and endearing.