It’s three for three over in Milan, as Sabato De Sarno presents his third Gucci collection on the third day of fashion week. After confounding expectations with his first women’s offering last September (what, no Tom Ford redux?), and following that up with a men’s collection that mirrored the women, fashion fans were eager to see what the designer would follow up with next. If you got stuck on the metro and couldn’t make it down in time, do not fear – here’s everything you need to know about Gucci’s AW24 show.
The invite took the form of a personalised notebook monogrammed for each guest in the house’s signature Rosso Ancora red. Its cover was embossed with “Follow your heart” – ideal for scratching your notes on the frow. Hours before the show began, De Sarno and Gucci made a joint post on Instagram, sharing a picture of one of the invites, but also tagged a mystery third user. Turns out the account belonged to a tiny stationary shop called Pettinaroli in Milan, one that crafts handmade leather goods, including this season’s invite. De Sarno’s Gucci is all about quality and consideration, so it makes sense that it would team up with an antique stationers founded in 1881.
Ronson was also back on DJ duties, having curated the music for De Sarno’s first two shows. This time, the Brit selected Kelsey Lu’s “I’m Not In Love” and The Irrepressibles “Two Men In Love” (you can see a pattern emerging here), while he also put his producer hat on for a reworked version of Did Virgo and Morgan K’s “Coronacid.”
COUTURE DOWNPOUR
Gucci AW24Photography Estrop via Getty Images
The collection saw the return of the super chic peacoats from SS24, this time in washed out lemon, rusty red, and shimmering lime brocade. Slinky, sexy slips came in satin that rippled as the models walked, and little two-pieces made up of boxy jackets and bum-skimming shorts landed in various shades of sugared almond. The standouts, however, were the slouchy knitted cardigans and cinched trenches studded with crystal beading: the way they shimmered and bounced down the runway made it look like the wearer had been caught in the rain and their clothes were dripping with water. Quite apt for the grotty weather Milan has been facing this fashion week!
YOUR NEW ACCESSORIES ARSENAL
A new Jackie colourway on the catwalkPhotography Daniele Venturelli via Getty Images
The classic Jackie bag featured prominently throughout, in new colours like zingy tangerine and rich teal, while new styles came in the form of a cute little half moon clutched in the models’ hands and a sleek, ladylike rectangle number. Down below, classic Gucci horsebit loafers came with their most towering platforms yet, in forest, burgundy, and baby blue variations, which definitely gave the classic pleaser heel a run for its money. But on the other end of the scale was a thigh-high flat wader boot in slick black buttery leather and burgundy iterations. Heels or flats? The Gucci woman never has to decide as Sabato has you covered whichever camp you sit in.
DE SARNO’S DREAMHOUSE
Sabato De Sarno at Gucci AW24Photography Daniele Venturelli via Getty Images
In a statement before the show, De Sarno outlined his vision for this season’s collection. “This is my way of dreaming, without hurry, visualising and stratifying aspirations as if they were the bricks of a house,” the designer said. “In my fashion as in my dreams, the exercise is the same. Search within the folds for a void that wants to be filled. Look at the detail very closely, before feeling free to back away in pursuit of a broader perspective.”
Cloaked in this admittedly abstract language is De Sarno’s design ethos, one of craftsmanship, precision, and also a slowed down approach. The words “without hurry” are probably the most interesting of the bunch, as the designer seems to be committed to a fashion model that is careful and considered, rather than turbo-charged or cycling through trends. This transfers to his collections too, as he subtly twists classic staples instead of beating us over the head with needless new things every season.
