The press notes chose not to highlight the intricacies woven into the fashion. Rather, Michele shared his musings on the work of the German philosopher Walter Benjamin, whom he praised for his gift for illuminating connections that would otherwise be invisible. “What can seem, at first sight, atomised and dispersed, like stars in the sky, through Benjamin’s eyes become an assembly of complicity,” Alessandro wrote of his belief that everything is interconnected. Gucci’s advice? Remember to look up.

A galaxy of stars jetted to Puglia

There was plenty for Gucci ambassador Dakota Johnson to love in the Cosmogonie line. The magpie for sparkle, who attended the Met Gala wearing a jumpsuit dripping with embellishment, watched the sun go down in Puglia wearing a pair of tinted granny shades, complete with beaded chain, and a geometric printed dress. Also living the Italian dream? Lana Del Rey, Elle Fanning, Måneskin and Jodie Turner-Smith, who promised to share her travel diary with Vogue.

The clothes were less celestial, more unabashedly glamorous

We imagine the Emperor Frederick II, who built the castle, might have raised his eyebrows at the number of sheer lingerie-as-outerwear looks on offer. Still, the ruffs, gladiator shoes, pearls and opulent colour pairings might have had something in common with the past occupants of the historical fort. Among the time-travelling looks, the ’70s-esque pieces were the most playful, and all manner of twinkling beads – particularly the constellation-covered closing look – nodded to Michele’s celestial mood. A starry night indeed.