Image copyright Reuters

Models were seen cradling replicas of their own heads on the Gucci catwalk, in one of Milan Fashion Week's most surreal shows.

The fake heads were eerily accurate, down to the hairstyles and the expressions of those walking in the show.

And the strangeness didn't end there - Gucci's creative director also sent models down the catwalk cradling baby dragons and snakes, and another had a third eye in the centre of her forehead.

All of this was done in a space made up to look like an operating theatre, complete with a table and surgical lights.

Image copyright Reuters

Image copyright Reuters

Creative director Alessandro Michele said the heads were intended to represent the struggle of finding your identity, and "looking after your head and thoughts".

Image copyright Reuters

Image copyright Reuters

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was among those on the front row - wearing her trademark sunglasses.

Image copyright Reuters

Michele said the show had been "exhausting" to stage.

He had wanted to show that among the chaos and creativity of his job, there was also order and a "scientific clarity" to the work.

Image copyright Reuters

Image copyright Reuters

Michele has been director of the fashion house since January 2015.

He added: "Our job is a surgical job: cutting and assembling and experimenting on the operating table."

Image copyright Reuters

Image copyright Reuters

The collection took inspiration from many different ethnicities and cultures, with Sikh turbans, south American patterns and embellished headpieces all on the catwalk.

A style note said the designs were to embody Gucci's "pluriverse" concept - and drew inspiration from an essay rejecting the idea of rigid boundaries.

Michele said: "Limiting fashion to something that only produces business is too easy."

Image copyright Reuters

Milan Fashion Week runs until 26 February.

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