Sabato De Sarno insists he feels free to follow his own heart in shaping Gucci's new direction – whatever critics may think – and believes many are “crying for novelty and at the same time distrustful of major changes,” he said during a preview with WWD.
His confidence in his personal vision was reflected in his first men's collection shown on Friday in Milan, which was aptly named “mirror” as it reiterated his passion for words and artists who use words. This particular one was chosen because the men's line reflected her first women's collection for Gucci shown last September “in a continuation and confirmation” of her previous choices, she said. The collections “are designed together” but mixed shows are not an option at the moment. “I like the moments dedicated to each one” and choosing to launch many new faces on the catwalk, in “opportunities that change the models' lives,” said the designer.
The soundtrack and lighting of the place, although different from that of September, also contributed to this sensation of reflection with “Late night feel” with “Ancora, ancora, ancora” by Lykke Li and Mina, both arranged by Mark Ronson, with the addition of “Masculinity”, by French artist Lucky Love.
Examples of the continuum that De Sarno championed were jeans worn under crystal-embroidered knitwear, and luxurious leather jackets worn over minis by women and over shorts by men, or reptile coats. While the women wore platform moccasins, their men wore sturdy vines.
Embroideries borrowed from 1950s Gucci handbags that inspired crystal-covered baby-doll dresses were echoed for men on intricately crafted, handcrafted tank tops. The same goes for fringed coats; After all, De Sarno likes to think of the Gucci man as “irreverent.” Carabiners completed the looks in ground-skimming trenches or silk scarves. But there was no trace of punk nostalgia, as this collection mainly focused on elegant and luxurious designs, exemplified by the tailored suits of two silhouettes, slim and fitted, paired with shorts, occasionally with zippered side slits, or more relaxed and softer.
The devil is in the details, as double-breasted buttons were hidden on sophisticated wool suits that featured intarsia-trimmed lapels in the same colors as the shirts worn underneath.
De Sarno is aware of the brand's core accessories business and offered a large number of Jackie bags, also oversized, as well as totes and backpacks, the latter one of the designer's favorites.
Introduced a new blurred GG monogram, slightly offset with a drop shadow to create a sense of 3D dimension displayed in an all-over motif on suits, slim scarves and bags in the house's new deep Rosso Ancora color of brown or grey.
The Marina Chain jewelry from the late 1960s, captured by photographer David Sims in Daria Werbowy's preview last summer, came in silver—a statement necklace for men, too.
Gucci's red and green stripes peeked out from a back slit on a pea coat that was directly inspired by a photo of Robert Redford on De Sarno's mood board, most likely from the 1975 film “Three Days of the Condor.” then and remains essential today.
De Sarno confessed his dislike for cryptic messages and the conceptualization of clothing. “It's important to have a point of view, but everyone needs to be able to understand it,” he said.
With this collection, he kept his words. So far, her message has appealed to her new high-profile friends, from Julia Garner to Taylor Swift, who sported eye-catching designs at the Golden Globes. As part of her tenure, De Sarno aims to further elevate the luxury component of collections, and in this it seems to be succeeding and responding to a customer who increasingly requests timeless, high-quality artisan products.
It's certainly ticking all the boxes, with crystal-embellished dad cardigans, extra-long coats and tailored suits, so it will be interesting to see how its message translates into sales.
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