Gucci Takes the Direction of Precise and Streamlined Chic

The first collection by Sabato De Sarno has arrived. Highly anticipated, it sets the tone for Gucci's new style, intending to write a new chapter after the departure of Alessandro Michele.

A fashion show can feel like a reset, and that was the case at Gucci's show in Milan on Friday, September 22. The Florentine label, a flagship of the Kering group, began its new chapter with Sabato De Sarno, who was appointed in April to general surprise just a few months after Alessandro Michele's sensational departure. François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Kering, chose to entrust the artistic direction of one of the world's most important luxury brands to this relatively unknown figure in the public eye, but well-connected within the industry. This task is more challenging as the brand was spectacularly transformed and revitalized by its predecessor. Over seven years, Alessandro Michele imposed his exuberant style, his fur-lined loafers, androgynous silhouettes, vibrant pants, bold flowers, and intricate prints on handbags. This subversive creativity repositioned the brand among the most coveted labels and successfully erased the jet-set label that had been attached to it. This eccentric approach worked wonders in the Chinese market until the pandemic hit in 2020, causing Gucci's sales to slow down.

In this context, Kering is seeking change, and Sabato De Sarno is here for that purpose. It doesn't matter if the public is not familiar with this young Neapolitan who gained experience at Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and then had a long ascent at Valentino. The luxury group still remembers the rapid success that followed Michele's appointment to the same position eight years earlier. He too was a shadow designer. To craft the new Gucci style, Sabato De Sarno began by erasing all the brand's Instagram posts, followed by 52.3 million people. Later, a few photos of Daria Werbowy, a former star model for the Celine brand, were seen posing naked by the pool with jewelry from the new collection. And a word, "Ancora", which De Sarno had tattooed on his arm the day he signed with Gucci. It will also be the name of his first collection. His message? "Gucci is an opportunity to fall in love with fashion, again."

The designer wanted to roll the dice in broad daylight on the streets of Brera, Milan's bohemian district. However, the rainy weather had other plans: the show was relocated to the Milan headquarters of the brand, in a spacious, stripped-down hangar plunged into darkness. This allowed the focus to shift back to the clothing and maintained the most star-studded front row of Milan Fashion Week. Despite the Hollywood strikes, the Gucci show attracted Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, as well as Paul Mescal and Ryan Gosling. Meanwhile, some regulars, such as Dakota Johnson, Jared Leto, and Harry Styles, were absent this season. The Gucci style is now being written with a different palette of celebrities and a radically different fashion vocabulary.

No more extravagance, no wild prints. To continue to captivate Generation Z, a coveted and fickle target, Sabato De Sarno has steered towards a practical wardrobe that's very much in tune with the times. The Italian designer aims to get straight to the point. It's all about timeless pieces, clean elegance, and sensual details now. The first look, a long black coat paired with microshorts, a white tank top, and a golden necklace, sets the tone. It's about precision, perfect tailoring, and a "safe" color palette, which includes wardrobe classics like white, gray, beige, burgundy, brown, and more.

Slip dresses worn with oversized coats convey a nonchalant yet elegant style. The skirts are straight, highly slit, and the drapery is perfectly controlled, demonstrating a certain mastery of garment cutting. It's clear that his time at Prada and Valentino, two houses where the designer honed his skills, is being expressed here.

By playing with shorter lengths through microshorts and minidresses, Sabato De Sarno shows that he can cater to the desires of the Gen Z audience. He also updates Gucci's classic loafers with a platform sole and seamlessly combines the bags with the everyday wardrobe. The designer has delivered the first notes of his composition here, with a precise and highly desirable vision. It's clear that this is only the beginning.