Sabato De Sarno combined fresh city chic with beachy nonchalance.
Gucci embraced its move away from maximalist ex-creative director Alessandro Michele, honoring ‘freedom’ in the label’s spring/summer 2025 show in Milan. The Gucci Milan Fashion Week was highly anticipated.
Sabato De Sarno—who became the Italian fashion house’s new creative director last year after taking over from Michele, who has now moved to Valentino—aimed ‘to create an atmosphere of intimacy and ease’ in his new womenswear collection.
Michele, 51, famously made eccentric maximalism relaxed during his tenure at Gucci. His collections are saturated with ‘grandpa chic’ and 2010s twee.
However, this eccentricity, central to Gucci’s former era, was undeniably absent in De Sarno’s Milan show.
Themed ‘freedom,’ the collection blended the sophistication of city living with coastal relaxation.
The traversing dress codes combined sharp tailoring with beach-inspired tank tops featured at the Gucci Milan Fashion Week.
An array of stars took seats in the front row to admire the highly anticipated collection, including Hollywood’s Jessica Chastain, Dakota Johnson, and Daisy Edgar Jones and Bridgerton stars Nicola Coughlan and Hannah Dodd.
Attendees wore a muted palette with pops of plum—the show’s signature color—while incorporating heavy textures through suede, croc, and denim.
De Sarno took Gucci in a new direction by moving sharply away from Michele’s iconic Gucci motifs – such as the Jackie bag and red and green stripes.
The designer unveiled simpler styles like the Gucci B bag and chunky gold jewelry.
The designer fashioned utilitarian workwear into tracksuits and dominated the runway with flowing toga-style dresses.
Furthermore, De Sarno introduced bold gold accessories like bangles and arm cuffs to accent his lightweight dresses.
The design choice evaded Tom Ford’s previous spring/summer collection, suggesting a more sultry and sophisticated direction for Gucci womenswear.
The collection featured exciting accents in bucket hats and maxi trench coats, with bursts of cherry and lime adding pops of color to the muted color palette seen at the Gucci Milan Fashion Week.
Greys, chocolate browns, and blacks anchored the show, while vibrant reds and greens flowed throughout, blending the sea’s serenity with the city’s fun, creating a fresh yet familiar feel for the label.
The show’s eveningwear included tasseled A-line overcoats and shimmering disco dresses, evoking the vibe of a chic members-only yacht party.
Furthermore, the show exuded a captivating edge. The models confidently sported biker gloves and slim leather jackets paired with silk bandanas, creating an irresistible allure.
Additionally, De Sarno has certainly given Gucci a renewed sense of versatility. Departing from Michele’s avant-garde flamboyance, his collection was accessible in design and spirit.
The designer balanced polished elegance with light-heartedness, suggesting a sophisticated but fun future for the label at the Gucci Milan Fashion Week.
De Sarno closed the runway by bounding down the catwalk, blowing kisses, and hugging people. If the show offers one takeaway, Gucci embraces a fresh new era.
