Men’s – In Search Of A Spark. Gucci AW24

January 13, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Sabato De Sarno‘s vision for Gucci is taking shape of a formula. His debut womenswear collection was a product-centric, straightforward parade of unoffensive clothes; the ad campaigns operate on blank backgrounds and offer no visual risks; and his first menswear collection for the brand is also moving in that generic, business-is-business direction. Except for one kinky, taken-out-of-the-Tom-Ford-book look where the model wore nothing but a pair of tailored pants, a tie-leash and a pair of leather gloves, this Gucci outing left you with no bold impression. Maybe because most of the looks were the same as in De Sarno’s September debut – like the opening over-sized coat, or the navy v-neck knit with embellished collar, or the color palette consisting of pops of cherry red? It’s actually quite surprising the designer has such confidence in these couple of looks that he’s already mirroring them. It’s probably to early to call, but De Sarno’s Gucci feels like mash-up of your favorite Italian brands: a bit Prada there, bit of Valentino here (where the designer worked before his Gucci appointment). The only signifiers that make it Gucci are the monogram logo, placed on belts and backpacks, and bag re-issues. Don’t get me wrong: those are really good clothes, there’s nothing wrong about all these timeless pea-coats and loafers. But I don’t think De Sarno is giving us enough reasons to be invested in his new Gucci. The designer gives big statements on “artisanship“, “Italianity“, “beauty“, even “good taste“. But as he says himself, “I don’t have a narrative for my collections at the moment”. That shows.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Radical Reduction. Gucci SS24

September 23, 2023September 24, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Sabato De Sarno‘s highly-anticipated debut at Gucci promised a lot, but in the end, felt like a plainly flavored meal. Proof: today in the morning, when I thought of the collection, I literally couldn’t remind myself of even one distinct look from the spring-summer 2024 line-up. It was just that… neutral. Yes, Gucci needed a restart: Alessandro Michele’s brought a lot of great things to the brand, but his last seasons were just too suffocating and tired. Still, in the end De Sarno’s radical reduction read more like a mediocre collection with touches of Prada, Old Céline, Valentino (the designer worked there before Gucci), Bottega Veneta and even Courrèges, than a clear new vision of the Italian brand. The designer wanted to create a random sequence of looks that would feel like outfits of people on Getty Images. But it was hard to spot the spontaneity of the paparazzi-caught celebs of the 2000s that De Sarno had in mind. The rumors were rumoring throughout months before the show that De Sarno would lean into the Tom Ford archives and turn out a super-sophisticated, sexy retort. Even the Daria Werbowy image suggested that. But that didn’t happen on yesterda’s runway. The collection wasn’t even Frida Gianini-coded: her Gucci had substance. Except for hoodies and denim pants, the new Gucci has in offer oddly-fitting pinafore dresses in sugary shades of pale green and peach – some trimmed with ostrich feathers, others covered in glittering Swarovski crystals – layered under boxy cropped jackets, while semi-see-through polo tops were tucked into high-waisted flares. The lingerie-influenced section was all about vinyl slips in black and scarlet trimmed with lace and dipping dangerously low on the back. Outerwear came trimmed with long tassels that oscillated as the models stormed through the space, while chunky platforms came high and sturdy, Jackie bags in bright sweetie-wrapper colors, and stilettos encrusted with layers of crystal. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great. But in today’s fashion, it’s hard to go by, doing very-whatever stuff.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Something’s In The Air. Gucci AW23

February 25, 2023 | Design & Culture by Ed

Gucci’s in the middle of a seismic change. Alessandro Michele’s aesthetic and visual impact is still all over the brand, while Sabato De Sarno, the recently appointed new creative director, will show his first collection in September. The Gucci design studio has a rare opportunity to go carte blanche. Like in case of their last indie-sleazy menswear collection, the in-house designers of the mega-brand are enamored with Tom Ford’s era, but revisit his slim-lined heritage through a quirky, Michele-lens. Heart-shaped faux-fur collars on coats and heart-shaped panniers on party dresses; crystal-trimmed portholes on a black shift and slip dresses constructed from see-through sequins; high-drama faux fur chubbies and low-key boyfriend jeans and button-downs; and on the accessories front: oversized double G buckles, a horsebit handbag revived from 2003, metal spike heels about half as high as their ’90s progenitors, and a couple pairs of mukluks. The casting told a story about heritage, too. Amy Wesson, Guinevere Van Seenus, and Liisa Winkler all walked vintage Tom Ford runways. At the end of the show, design team members by the dozen emerged on the green-carpeted show venue to take a group bow. The point was made: Gucci is far more than whomever occupies the creative director seat. Still, it’s a crucial role, the instinctive force that stitches a collection into a unified whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.