Gucci S/S 2025 Milan

[LadyJunon]

The undertone of WWD's review is so bitchy, I love it. It's pretty much: "He did this thing and this other thing, but was it enough to save Gucci?".

Gucci Spring 2025 Women’s Ready-to-Wear: Will It Be Enough?
Creative director Sabato De Sarno stayed the course, showing more Ancora red leather, sporty tailoring, lingerie looks, horsebit accessories and nods to famous Gucci customer of yore Jacqueline Kennedy.

By Booth Moore
September 20, 2024, 11:49am

Will it be enough to excite the flagging luxury consumer?

That was the question after watching the spring 2025 Gucci show Friday afternoon at the Triennale. Challenging environment aside, the brand flexed, putting on a massive production with a crowd outside as far as the eyes could see gathered for a glimpse of the red carpet.

Inside, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Dakota Johnson were twinning in cream lace, and François-Henri Pinault was all smiles posing with Jin from BTS. The show opened with a backbeat that had Mark Ronson’s toes tapping along with everyone else’s; it should have, he mixed it.

On the runway, a year after taking the helm of the Kering-owned label, which went from cash cow to seeing significant losses, creative director Sabato De Sarno stayed the course, reasserting his codes for the house, and the codes that came before him, while showing a lot of accessories. A lot.

He was going for “casual grandeur” he said during a preview, where street-style photos picturing the disarming elegance of Jacqueline Kennedy, with her oversize sunglasses and Gucci hobo in tow, were on his mood board.

The term “casual grandeur” was actually first used by British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to describe the iconic first lady’s ability to combine European sophistication with American ease, and it resonated with De Sarno “because I love to make clothes for people, for real life, to see my clothes on people,” he said.

The approach saw him cut easy sportswear pieces in gray menswear fabric, such as a zip-front jacket and slit-front trousers over sneakers, as well as peppy horsebit jacquard blouson and miniskirt sets. He reasserted his tailoring skills with 1960s-looking rounded jackets, pencil skirts and a slim coat with clever cutout and tie details, and the ladylike raffia suiting conjured Frida Giannini’s Gucci era. He also continued his streak of taking everyday outerwear and making it extraordinary, as seen in a gorgeous olive overcoat with green metallic fringe snaking down the front.

Lingerie-inspired lace slipdresses made an encore appearance, too, as well as glossy leather in Ancora red and lime green with Mod or biker flourishes, building to a finale of statement coats, including a trench à la Jackie, worn with baggy jeans and a Gucci red-and-green-trimmed tank top, a GG belt and silk scarf.

The accessories were plenty visible, with the 1947 Bamboo bag front and center done in a new East-West version, a clutch, and as a mini bracelet bag. Several of the runway bags were customized by contemporary Japanese artists.

The bamboo motif was also abundant in necklaces, bracelets and the bamboo collars and metal details incorporated into sexy jersey halter gowns inspired by Tom Ford’s 1990s Gucci interpretations of 1970s Halston.

De Sarno continued to run with the house horsebit, which he’s evolved from a platform to a ballerina and now to a 1960s-inspired tall second-skin boot. And in addition to dozens of permutations of the Jackie bag, he brought back the Gucci 1973 bucket shape from the archives with a horsebit on its side.

There were also sunglasses, sun hats and scarves, so much product that one wondered if the marketing folks went a little too wild in search of the sale.

When I asked about his impact and what customers have been buying, De Sarno said he has been delighted to see Ancora red go global, with people wearing it even when it’s not Gucci. He also joked that he was onto Charli XCX’s Brat green first.

De Sarno has conviction, and when given enough time, that has worked magic at other houses with image-altering creative directors, such as Celine with Hedi Slimane. His classic, casual pieces like Gucci jeans and tank tops, leather blousons and shorts can fit into many wardrobes, too. But does his vision make you dream and dream and dream enough to want to buy? Still TBD. The impromptu dance party that broke out on the runway after the show sure thought so, however, and that’s something.

WWD

 

[Kennnnn]

I thought this was bad, very uninspired and uninspiring. The middle section of micro-mini outfits was particularly awful - the proportions of each look were terrible.

 

[brandon J pierre]

Some nice things much better, hate those big baggy jeans

 

[PDFSD]

The vogue pics def took forever because they chose pics going down the runway. The color scheme actually looks quite nice on vogue imo

Yes its giving pinterest art installation intern research :

 

[PDFSD]

Funny enough, Di Felice did a sunset inspired collection for Courreges:

The difference is that Di Felice inherited Ghesquiere's inventive approach when it comes on designing and constructing clothing, while Sabato, like PPP, create based on vibes. Sabato doesn't have the skills or the balls to design dresses based of geometry, jackets with secondary armholes or pants with p*ssy-pockets. Funny enough, the p*ssy-pocket would have been an nice call-back of "p*rno-chic".

mmmm no i feel its more this more basic and direct is more Ancora no concept ;

 

[yslforever]

After 3/4 replays, Sabato falls short on everything he tries, imho:
- the colours obsviously
- the proportions (the bloomer miniskirts and all the mini section, the mid-calf boots)
- the selection of fabrics is embarrassing (cardboard like leather)
- his tailoring (the crotch on many trousers)
- his embellishments: fringes, embroideries and prints look computer-generated but without taking in consideration the irl aspects
- his lacework
- his flou : it's not draping it's dangling. It dangles.
- the stylism
- the image-making (what's up with the ultra-cheesy dancing ?)
He does not seem to master not even one of those aspects.

In general, he exudes a weird after-taste: tracksuit and New Balance joggers as opening look, really ? What for ? Taking out the trash ? Same thing for the tank tops and baggy jeans with Balenciaga coats: is that an ironic social comment à la Demna ?

 

[Scotty]

He’s copied everyone in this. Nothing he can do will make me like his work ATP. I’m a Sabato hater.

 

[PDFSD]

He’s copied everyone in this. Nothing he can do will make me like his work ATP. I’m a Sabato hater.

So you basically you hate dancing your saying :-)

 

[LadyJunon]

mmmm no i feel its more this more basic and direct is more Ancora no concept ;

Wait, didn't Marc Jacobs collaborate with that artist for his AW13 show:

 

[LadyJunon]

Also, I just realised that they actually restaged the show without the audience just to get that gradient for the lookbook.

 

[jeanclaude]

And...where is the "sunset inspiration" in this collection?? It´s more like a black hole, full of nothingness.

 

[RobAllen4599]

It was horrendous. Cheap, awful casting. Bad hair, bad make-up. Can they not afford any decent "faces" to model? What's the obsession with Korean tick-tockers? And all the guests wearing cruise 25. Just smacked of desperation. I think he's going to get fired soon. His direction is not Gucci. TF did "Jackie" x "Halston" for fall 2000 and still one of the best

 

[GivenchyHomme]

I’m too tired and disgusted to fully express my feelings, so I’ll save my energy for something else. All I will say is that this is simply unacceptable for a third collection. He’s had plenty of time to get it right. If he gets the boot, he’ll have no one to blame but himself. Would it have killed him to take a risk, even once?

 

[GivenchyHomme]

I thought this was bad, very uninspired and uninspiring. The middle section of micro-mini outfits was particularly awful - the proportions of each look were terrible.

They looked very old fashioned, like The Stepford Wives going to an LSD party at the County Club.

 

[Living Proof]

The problem with SDS’s first few collections were his understanding (or lack of) for the clientele. His design capabilities (which are unremarkable for the most part) aside, he was way too concerned with designing for this modern & chic young girl prancing around the streets of Europe cities, instead of customers that are still willing to walk into a Gucci store and browse the racks. Those girls he designed for are spending every spare penny they have on Prada, Miu Miu and Loewe, they had no time for his shenanigans. This collection is an improvement simply bc there are things a Gucci client would actually buy, ie some of the leather pieces and dresses, despite still looking a bit half baked. If he’s staying (looking unlikely), he needs to keep this understanding of the brief for the job, and know that his vision (if you can call it that) has to accommodate the reality of the brand.

 

[jeremydante]

I loved this collection. Love the casting, the concepts, the color story had range and the runway soundtrack was upbeat. I am happy with what Sabato is creating and how much it is a return to the cleanliness of Gucci after the chaos of Alessandro.

 

[Olaffo]

All I care about is whether is actually sells - my personal opinion about this non event is know, nothing much to be added. It is just pathetic that one of the most iconic fashion houses is run by a complete failure. Well hopefully the client's choices will fix it soon.

 

[90sfan]

Sabato went from uninteresting to dull and boring in just 3 seasons. Congrats!!!!

 

[Xone]

He is the joke of Milan Fashion scene....i've hear many people just feeling sorry for him but all agreed he is not right for this position...the finale? some models were dancing others not...it looked such a mess....

He needs to create an image of his Gucci woman,not trying to click all the boxes....take a risk ancora guy,you have nothing to lose...

Ancora guy needs to go....

Are there other reviews out? bof?

 

[LadyJunon]

The tracklist for those who are interested:
Kelsey Lu – Sunset (from HYDROHARMONIA)
Kelsey Lu and Mykky Blanco – French Lessons
Boys Noize & Kelsey Lu – Love & Validation
Rogê – Existe Uma Voz
Jamie xx – G.I.R.L.
Fiordaliso – Non Voglio Mica La Luna