21 September 2024 |
Casual Grandeur was the theme of the day.
You can hear the Gucci show before you even get close to the venue. Thanks to their all-star lineup of ambassadors and front row guests including Hanni from New Jeans and BTS’ Jin, fan chants filled the air at Triennale Milano. The art and design museum served as the location for the men’s spring 2025 show back in June and Creative Director Sabato de Sarno decided it deserved a reprise for the women’s collection as well. Per the show notes, the choice in venue reflects an intertwining of identities with the values of the museum reflective of those of the brand.
Once inside, the runway was a winding long corridor, with the first area decked in white before it changed into the brand’s now signature Rosso Ancora. Designed to reflect the hues of a summer sunset, each room was meant to be a unique experience — much like how no two twilights are alike. As for the clothes themselves? De Sarno noted one year into his tenure that his latest collection “reflected a moment in time, when the sun dives into the sea at the end of an August day.” Designed to reflect what he considers a casual grandeur across his obsessions ranging from tailoring to lingerie to leather to the sixties, the looks felt like an ode to louche summers with a bit of mischief and camp courtesy of the Italian pop soundtracked finale that had attendees dancing in their seats.
For the first section, the ode to tailoring, it was a slouchier take with looser trousers that hung on the sneakers — a melding of men’s and women’s silhouettes. Worn with tanks or boxy jackets, they were decidedly sporty. From there it segued into slinky jersey dresses, the type that would look equally at home on the red carpet as it would at seaside discotheque. Sexy lingerie-inspired slips, a mainstay in the collection, were also present, worn paired with short motorcycle gloves while little bralettes were layered under outerwear. A series of swishy fringed coats were a hit in my room, as those around me were heard whispering their delight as they walked down the runway, Also a crowd pleaser? The silver paillette dresses, which could be heard before they were seen — expect those to hit a premiere or a magazine cover in the near future. De Sarno then segued with a nod to the sixties, in the form of short minis worn with boxier tops and swingy a-line dresses, all the makings of an Italian summer getaway wardrobe. To end, a series of long dramatic trench coats worn with the classic Gucci foulard worn as headscarves, embodying the term casual grandeur.
As for the accessories, De Sarno chose to focus on the Gucci Bamboo 1947, with new versions in leather, lacquer, and Plexiglass. The bamboo motif can also be seen in the jewelry, whether as bangles worn high on the arm or around the neck. The brand also introduced a new style: the Gucci Go, designed to be structured and compact. As for the shoes, the Horsebit was seen across creepers, ballet flats, boots, and platforms — a reminder that while modernity is often desired, heritage can’t be denied.
